The Kerala High Court has barred the state government from demolishing any permanent structure and cutting of trees in the Kanakakunnu palace in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the Tourism Department’s ongoing project to give the place a facelift.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice S V N Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji also ordered the Tourism Department to take photographs of the site and submit them to the court along with a statement.
The bench stated that it wanted to see the nature of work being done by the private company that was awarded the project contract and to ensure that the bench’s orders were followed.
It further ordered the state government to file its statement and photographs by the next hearing date, i.e., on 5th June, 2023.
“In the meantime, the respondents (state government and private company) are restrained from demolishing any permanent structures and/or cutting and removing trees while executing the subject contract. “Respondent no.3 (Tourism department) is directed to take photographs of even date and file them along with the statement of the 3rd respondent for not only appreciating the nature of work being carried out by the 5th respondent (private company) but also to ensure complete compliance of the order of this court,” the order stated.
Previously, the court passed an interim order prohibiting further demolition and tree cutting in the Kanakakunnu Palace compound for two weeks. It had also requested all files pertaining to the contract award to Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd for review.
The order was passed in response to a petition asking the court to “stop construction activity, hard landscaping, removal of trees, lawns, excavation and demolition of structures within the compound and inside Kanakakunnu Palace.” The Kanakakunnu palace, located in the heart of Kerala’s state capital, was reportedly built during the reign of Travancore king Sree Moolam Thirunal and was used by the royal family to entertain its guests.
It has been designated a heritage monument by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). It is currently under the care of the Tourism Department, and the auditoriums within its walls are used for a variety of cultural events and programs.
