The High Court of Madras has asked the State administration to ensure that vehicular traffic is not held up for more than 10 minutes to facilitate VVIP movement.

Duraiswamy of Chennai had earlier moved the High Court citing in instance which occurred last year wherein he was held up by a traffic cop for more than an hour when he was on the way to a Hospital on an emergency visit.

The petitioner also sought a blanket ban on such holds-up in traffic to facilitate VVIP movements. The petition came up for hearing before the Bench headed by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee.

Acceding to the request of the petitioner, the Chief Justice ruled that it was the duty of traffic police to ensure that traffic is not held up for more than 10 minutes during VVIP movement (read: during the travel by the Governor, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Madras and the chief-minister) as this affects those who visit Hospitals.

This order, however, doesn’t cover security arrangements made during the visit of the President, Prime Minister and vice-president.