The Hindu              04.05.2013

VUDA cracks the whip on illegal layouts

Staff Reporter

The special team formed by VUDA Vice- Chairman N. Yuvaraj to curb the menace of unauthorised layouts in Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region, has conducted raids on 10 unauthorised layouts in Kothavalasa mandal.

The team with Deputy Director of PCPIR V. Ramkumar and Junior Planning Officer D.V. Ramana and supporting staff with special powers identified the layouts in Musiram and Ramalingapuram villages and confirmed them as unauthorised after verification of records under the supervision of Chief Urban Planner R.J. Vidyullatha. Layouts developed by Sanapala Polinaidu in an extent of 1.55 acres in Survey Nos 182/6, 182/8 and 187/2 of Musiram and 2.68 acres in Ramalingapuram; another in 12.45 acres (S Nos 207, 208, 209, 210) by Datla Sambasiva Venkata Narasimha Raju at Musiram; in 3.18 acres (S No 174) by Sirigudi Raju; in 2.23 acres (S Nos 161/p, 176/p) by Tedlapu Ramana; in 1.01 acres (S Nos 71/1, 74/27) by Ayyagari Upendra Srinivas; in 3.82 acres ( S Nos 21/25, 32/35/ 37/38, 40/52 and 58) by Tammineni Taviti Naidu; another layout of Chandana Infrastructural in huge extent of 25 acres (S Nos. 53/p, 54/p, 55/p and 56/p) by Jerripothula Panibharan Rao; and by Lokeswara Rao in 4.72 acres ( S No 180/p and 181/p).

Two more layouts in the name of Bangarubhoomi by seven private individuals in 1.50 acres in S No 43/7, 43/6, 23/5, 23/6, 25/13, 25/14 and another by Sanapala Polinaidu in 2.68 acres in adjoining area of Ramalingapuram village were also found to be unauthorised. The team headed by V Ramkumar conducted raids on these unauthorised layouts along with the concerned panchayat secretaries and staff and removed the stones showing plotting and boundaries of layouts. Roads developed irregularly were also disturbed. Notices were issued to the owners of the layouts. General public may forward complaints on unauthorised layouts by email tocup.vuda@gmail.comorvcvuda@yahoo.comfor initiating stringent action.

The Hindu                 03.05.2013

SC breather to Campa Cola residents

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted relief to the residents of Campa Cola compound in the upmarket Worli area here, by ordering a stay on the demolition of buildings for five months.

The builders of the seven buildings, which were constructed between 1981 to1989, were permitted to raise only five floors. However, the builder flouted the norms and built two towers of 17 and 20 floors each and three buildings of six floors each and two of seven floors. The Supreme Court in its order in February 2012, had ordered to demolish 35 illegal floors, which could have rendered 140 families homeless.

On Thursday morning, before the Supreme Court order, the entire compound had turned into a police camp. The residents had locked the society gates, preventing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers from entering inside. While some residents had started shifting their goods to another place, many had decided to remain inside the building. The BMC workers cut the building’s electricity and gas supply. However, following the Court’s order, they will have to rearrange the supplies.

“The five-month period will give us adequate time to save our houses. We will continue to work as hard and ensure that we manage to come up with a solution,” said Ravindra Shah, a resident of the compound.

The residents had first moved to the Bombay High Court after they received the notice from the BMC. However, the High Court had refused to interfere with the apex court’s order. The residents had then again approached the Supreme Court, asking for a stay on the demolition notice. The Court in its order on Thursday made it clear that no further time, than five months, will be given to the society to evict the illegal flats. It also said the flat owners will not file any petition in the high court or lower courts against the order of vacating their flats.