The Times of India      22.12.2010

CHENNAI: Continuing its crackdown against unauthorised buildings in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) along with Tambaram municipality officials on Tuesday locked and sealed two under-construction building on Mudichur Main Road in West Tambaram.

"Certain portions of these buildings were constructed violating the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971," Tambaram municipality commissioner N S Prema told The Times Of India.

According to officials, the owners of the buildings on Mudichur Main Road got permission in April 2009 for construction of stilt floor and three floors, including a ground floor, for commercial use. However, they began joining the portion meant for the stilt floor with the main building, violating the norms. This space is meant for parking and other purposes. They also began to deviate from the original plan submitted to the local body for approval. Despite being given ample time to correct themselves, the builders defied the rules. "Tuesday's exercise is a continous process in checking building violations. A few months ago, similar action was taken at Kapari on GST Road," said Tambaram municipality's town planning officer A Sethuraman.

Official sources said many builders get court orders suggesting their buildings are ordinary buildings (ground + three floors) as per government orders pertaining to Metrowater and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and don't require CMDA completion certificates for service connections.

The CMDA's development control rules say any commercial building with more than ground plus two floors is a special building and requires a CMDA completion certificate.