The Kochi Corporation has decided to call in for hearing two major   alleged defaulters of Building Regulation Act in the next Corporation council slated for January 6. The move is in connection with speeding up  actions against unauthorised constructions in the city.

“The defaulters have bifurcated the space allotted by the Corporation   without seeking permission and made a profit out of it,” said a top official with the Corporation. One of the cases involves a multi-cuisine restaurant in the city, which was  booked for unauthorised construction by the corporation earlier and the other involves a well-known Travels and Tours operator, who according to the Corporation, had occupied an office space in the Vytilla Shopping complex illegally.

The travels operator has occupied a 300 sq-feet office space in Vytilla, owned by the corporation. The civic body had earlier issued a show cause notice to the tour operator - as per the decision of the corporation council on December 12, 2012 - asking to clear the space within 48 hours and return it to the Corporation. However, as the tour operator approached the High Court, the court cancelled the Council decision and referred it to hear the applicant in its Council meeting within two months.

An inspection by the Town Planning Committee earlier had booked the multi-cuisine restaurant for illegal construction and had issued notice for its demolition. As the hotelier did not respond to the notice, the Corporation had cancelled the license of the hotel. Though the owners filed an appeal later, it was rejected by the Corporation saying it was submitted after the stipulated time to file an appeal.

The hotelier later moved to the High Court and obtained a stay against the cancellation. In its final verdict, the court asked the council to hear the applicant in its council meeting and to conclude the matter.