The Deccan Chronicle 04.09.2010
Illegal builders go scot-free
Chennai, Sept. 3: Thousands of buildings in Chennai flagrantly violate sanction plans with both the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the corporation failing to conduct periodical field inspections.
According to official sources, there is no proper interaction between the corporation engineers and CMDA planners. They do not exchange the buildings plans submitted to them and fail to crosscheck and verify if the builders are working within the approved plan.
“The CMDA grants permission for special buildings (ground and two floors) and multistorey structures and the corporation gives permission for ordinary buildings (ground and first floor), but there is no coordination between the government departments and many violations go unchecked,” said corporation opposition floor leader Saidai Ravi.
“If the corporation’s divisional engineers carry out regular inspections and serve notices to errant builders, more than 50 per cent of the violations can be prevented,” Mr Ravi added.
Officials say about 48,000 buildings were constructed in the city in 2007 violated approved plans. This number, they add, could have easily crossed 1 lakh.
According to realtor M.K. Sundaram, former chairman of Builders Association, Chennai, home owners are guilty of a majority of the building violations. “Most home owners do not obtain building completion certificates for which checks are conducted,” Mr Sundaram noted.
Many people say no action is taken when illegal constructions are brought to the notice of the corporation or the CMDA. “I have lodged several complaints to the corporation’s divisional engineer seeking action against a building violation in Sivanada Salai in Choolaimedu, but nothing has been done so far,” said Vijayakumar, a resident of Choolaimedu.
When contacted, corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni denied that the corporation failed to check for building violations. “Buildings constructed before 2007 are left alone, but new buildings are being monitored,” he claimed, noting that constructions built before 2007 have been given the all-clear under a special ordinance by the state government.
“A few buildings in Velachery were demolished as recently as Thursday for violating building norms. The corporation also has plans to intensify checks of new buildings and will join hands with CMDA for the inspections.”
