Urban News

The Hindu 05.01.2010

Corporation drive to restore parking space in apartment

Special Correspondent

Photo: M. Periasamy

CRACKDOWN: A structure violating building rules being removed in the city on Monday. –

COIMBATORE: After targeting building rule violations in commercial buildings in the city, the Coimbatore Corporation is covering multi-storeyed residential buildings also for non-provision of space for parking vehicles.

On Monday, the special demolition squad of the Corporation set about the task of demolishing three flats built on the ground floor that was meant only for parking vehicles.

Officials involved in the drive at the apartment on Ponnurangam Road (West) at R.S. Puram said that after showing the ground floor as parking space in the building plan, the builder had constructed the flats on that space.

Visitors’ vehicles

Many residential apartments provided parking space only for vehicles of people living in these buildings. Visitors had to park their vehicles on the road and a clear instruction for this was displayed at the gate or left with the security personnel.

But, the violation in the apartment covered under the drive at R.S. Puram on Monday denied space for the vehicles of those living on this premises, the officials pointed out.

Apart from this, there was violation in the form of excess space taken up for construction. Each floor had an approved building space of 4,485 sq ft. But, the constructed structure was 6,000 sq ft in each floor, an official of the Town Planning wing of the Corporation said.

There was setback space violation also. Adequate setback space was not provided in the front.

A new construction was extending into the setback space. The portion that encroached setback space was demolished by the squad.

As for the flats on the parking space, the official said the walls were being demolished with drillers.

The pillars would be intact in order to support the upper floors. The ground floor would be open for parking, the official said.

The Hindu 05.01.2010

3,840 apartments for the poor in Coimbatore soon

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday announced the construction of 3,840 multi-storied apartments, at a cost of Rs.118 crore, for the poor in Coimbatore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

A State government release stated that the infrastructure was being developed for the World Classical Tamil Conference in June. A total of 2,232 multi-storied apartments would be constructed at Ukkadam at a cost of Rs.68 crore.

At Ammankulam, the government would spend Rs.50 crore to construct 1,608 multi-storied apartments. The Chief Minister also sanctioned Rs.59.85 crore for improving various roads, including those linking the Coimbatore District Small Scale Industries Association (CODISSIA) Complex where the conference would be held. A total of 72 roads spanning 92 km would be covered.

Roads linking the Coimbatore railway station, bus stand and Salem-Cochin road, where CODISSIA Complex is situated, Singanallur bus stand, Ramanathapuram and Pothanur railway stations and the Chitra-Kurumpalayam road that linked the national highways near the conference venue would be improved.