MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the Madurai collector, corporation commissioner, and district fire officer to conduct a joint inspection at the newly inaugurated private shopping mall and file a report to the court by January 2023.
Justice K Murali Shankar gave the direction while hearing a petition filed by an advocate Henri Tiphagne to temporarily close down the mall, which is situated near MGR Bus stand in Madurai, on charges that it was creating a public nuisance.
Henri Tiphagne, a resident of the Lake Area of Madurai, submitted that the shopping centre, which has nearly 10 floors with underground parking space, has been opened to the public despite it still being under construction. It does not have a properly visible emergency staircase, he alleged.
The mall is also causing traffic congestion as it has led to the parking of vehicles and encroachment by hawkers on both sides of the road, which already faces heavy traffic due to the presence of the MGR bus stand, a private hospital, hotels, and markets, Tiphagne further said.