Work on Pernambut bus stand begins despite issue being sub judice

It may be recalled that DT Next highlighted the issue on August 12 following which civic officials ensured that no work was undertaken despite construction material being offloaded at the site.

However, some people started work from Saturday in a bid to ensure that housing plots they sold could be registered. Earlier, the buyers had said they would register the plots only when the bus stand became operational. The plots were sold with promise that the proposed Pernambut bus stand would be built near the area.

As construction began, the issue was brought to the notice of Pernambut civic officials by bus stand retrieval committee president and town Congress committee president G Suresh Kumar. Responding, Municipal Commissioner Nityanandam said he had ordered officials to ensure stoppage of work.

When Suresh Kumar pointed out that the case was in the Madras High Court and verdict was awaited, Nityanandam informed AIADMK top brass were pressuring him. Audio clips accessed by this reporter reveal Suresh Kumar informing the commissioner that he would be guilty of contempt of court if he proceeded and when asked how he had allowed them to start work, he said “the order was issued based on notes by the municipal engineer” and that “the private persons had promised only to construct a bus shelter and to dismantle it when proper work started.”

When Suresh Kumar demanded to know if he also would be allowed to construct on government land if he applied for the same results, the commissioner tried to evade the issue.

Suresh Kumar immediately shot off letters to the Vellore Collector, the Vellore based RDMA (Regional Director of Municipal Administration), Pernambut Municipal Commissioner and the municipal engineer seeking permission to undertake work on government land.

When Suresh said he would take up the issue with the Collector, who was also a party in the pending court case, Nityanandam requested that the issue be settled among themselves.