MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Madurai corporation commissioner to file a detailed report on the development and maintenance of all parks in the city.
A division bench of Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by M Pozhilan of Madurai, directed the corporation to file a report on the proposed developmental works to be carried out at each park, with the approximate expenditure to be incurred. The report must also contain details of the extent of the parks and structures in the parks and the timelines required for the development of parks should also be stated.
The petitioner sought a direction to the corporation authorities to take effective steps to restore and maintain AR Children's Park in KK Nagar. The court was also hearing another petition seeking to ensure proper maintenance of all public parks in the city. During the previous hearing, the court took a serious view and directed the authorities to take steps to restore the parks. It took note of the fact that a division bench of the court in 2022 had passed a series of directions about proper maintenance of parks in Madurai corporation limits.
The court had directed the corporation to file a report with details of 199 parks, their locations, facilities and steps taken to restore the parks in compliance with the 2022 order. Pursuant to the earlier order, the corporation commissioner had filed a report stating that out of the 199 parks, 54 parks were developed and the remaining parks would be restored in a phased manner by allocating funds from the corporation, through NGOs, private companies or residential welfare associations. Steps were also taken for the restoration of AR Children's Park.
The hearing was adjourned to October 14.