CHENNAI: A revised budget of Rs 117.30 crore has been earmarked for construction of two law colleges on the outskirts of the city, the Madras High Court was informed by the Director of Legal Studies, last week.
This allocation was on the basis of the rates prevailing in 2016-17 and the Public Works and Finance Departments have agreed to allot the amount.
When the first bench of Chief Justice S K Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan directed the State government to place before it the Government Order to be issued in this connection, the Government Pleader requested three weeks time to issue the Government Order. The bench asked the GP to ensure that the Government Order was placed before it on the next date of hearing, September 29, along with the time-frame for further work.
Pursuant to the clash between two groups of students of Law College near the High Court on NSC Bose Road in 2009, Justice Shanmugam Committee was appointed to make recommendations with regard to shifting of the college to some other place. The government accepted the committee’s report dated July 7, 2009 and selected four places – Tambaram, Ennore, Tiruvallur and Poonamallee. Of the four, the government had identified two places – Pattarai in Tiruvallur district and Pudupakkam in Kancheepuram District. Permission was granted by the Department of Legal Studies on October 24, 2014. Plan and estimates were submitted for the construction of two new law colleges at the above places at a cost of Rs 104.50 crore. It was submitted to the government on June 1, 2015. A revised estimate was submitted by Director of Legal Studies for Rs 117.30 crore on July 6 this year.
The Bench after directing the government to issue the Government Order within three weeks, posted the matter for further hearing to September 9.