The Hindu 17.12.2009
Corporation firm on removing unauthorised structures
Special Correspondent
| Civic body buys five drillers and two cutters to demolish buildings violating rules |
Photo: M. Periasamy 
EQUIPPING THEM: Mayor R. Venkatachalam (second right) handing over equipment for the removal of unauthorised constructions to the special demolition squad of the Coimbatore Corporation on Wednesday. —
COIMBATORE: By procuring more equipment, the Coimbatore Corporation is conveying to building owners in the city that the drive against unauthorised structures is not only being sustained but also stepped up.
The Corporation has bought five drillers costing about Rs.40,000 each and two cutters costing about Rs.50,000 each to demolish structures that have come up in violation of building rules.
Structures
While adherence to the rules is one objective of the drive, facilitating smooth flow of traffic is the other.
Unauthorised structures built on spaces meant only for parking of vehicles are the prime target of the drive.
This is aimed at reducing space for parking and increasing it for traffic flow on the roads.
The special squad is headed by Town Planning Officer M. Soundararajan.
Assistant Town Planning Officers S. Ravichandran (North and West Zones), T. Bhuvaneshwari (East Zone) and D.T. Jothilingam (South Zone) co-ordinate the demolitions.
The equipment was handed over to the special squad for demolition formed by Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra. The drillers and cutters helped in speeding up the demolition process.
A 10-member team of workers that breaks down the structures was provided with uniform and other equipment such as cable cutters.
Armed with all these, the squad swooped on a commercial building that had allegedly encroached two cents at a busy traffic junction near Alvernia School on Tiruchi Road.
Traffic
The building housed a hotel and fish stall and it impeded smooth flow of traffic by causing the formation of a blind curve.
“We will form a bell mouth access at this spot to enable clear visibility and accident-free flow of traffic,” Assistant Town Planning Officer S. Ravichandran said.
Apart from the Commissioner, Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, Town Planning Officer M. Soundararajan, South Zone Chairman P. Pynthamil, West Zone Chairman and member of State-level Encroachment Removal Committee V.P. Selvaraj and Town Planning Chairman P. Krishnamoorthi were present when the equipment were handed over.
