Arul v. the District Collector
Writ of Mandamus – Village road re-surfacing/re-laying/repair – Raising of road height
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court, W.P. No.1451 of 2025 (with W.M.P. No.1696 of 2025), decided 06.03.2025 by K.R.Shriram, CJ and Mohammed Shaffiq, J. Petitioner Arul sought mandamus under Article 226 directing the District Collector, Kallakurichi District and the Divisional Engineer, Highways Department to stop raising the height of the village road from Parindal Village via Thiruppeyar to Kallakurichi District, pursuant to representations dated 09.01.2025 and 10.01.2025, fearing rain water would drain into abutting houses/shops. Court found the apprehension justified, directed provision of drainage/gutters along village roads, recorded the State's undertaking, and disposed the petition without costs.
What did the court decide?
Petition disposed with directions to the authorities to ensure a drainage/gutter along the road inside every village; the State Government Pleader's statement regarding laying of gutters where absent, to be completed before or along with completion of the road, accepted as an undertaking to the Court; no order as to costs; connected miscellaneous petition (W.M.P. No.1696 of 2025) closed.