HC stalls Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple works

Expressing its displeasure over the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) not following its own rules, the Madras High Court on Friday directed it to not proceed with any construction works near the protected monument site inside the Gangaikonda Choleeswarar Temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Ariyalur.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the direction while hearing the plea moved by A Balaguru, a resident of Kumbakonam, who alleged that the ASI was building structures near the protected monument zone of the temple and prayed for a direction to stop all works and to remove the structures already constructed near the protected monument zone.

Recording the submissions, the bench expressed its dissatisfaction over the ASI not complying with its own rules. “As per the ASI rules, the construction should be made 100 metres away from protected monument zone. However, by making constructions about some 38 metres away from the zone, the ASI itself has not followed its rules,” the bench observed.

The petitioner submitted that ASI was setting up a food court, bookstall and toilet complex near the protected monument sites of the Gangaikonda Choleeswarar temple constructed by Rajendra – I. The court also directed ASI to stall further constructions and remove the constructions that are against the provisions of Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation Act), 2010. The judges also asked the ASI to file a status report within two weeks.