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Urban Planning

Rent walls for ads, face action

Friday, 30 July 2010 11:23 administrator
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The Deccan Chronicle 30.07.2010

Rent walls for ads, face action

July 29: The Chennai corporation is planning to take legal action against property owners who rent out the walls of their buildings for commercial hoardings, mayor M. Subramanian said on Thursday. The mayor said that several building owners were violating the hoarding ban and were evolving new strategies by renting out wall space for advertisements. The mayor said that such walls would be defaced and the building owners penalized.

Speaking during the corporation council meeting convened at the Ripon Buildings here on Thursday, the mayor said that the civic body was concerned about the mushrooming illegal hoardings. Mr Subramanian also said that initiatives would be taken to prevent usury among Corporation employees. The civic body will help its employees avail loans through the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) at four per cent interest.

Earlier, when councillor Mr M. Abdul Majid of ward 106 enquired about the delay in issuing the building plans despite computerisation, the mayor replied that certain initiatives were being taken to upgrade the existing system and exuded confidence that there would be no delays in future. Replying to a query from councillor Jayakala Prabhakar of ward 123 about media reports regarding an increase in property tax, the mayor ruled out any the possibility of increasing the tax.

Mr Subramanian also said that steps were being taken to issue 155 laptops with printers to the councillors through ELCOT to help the public avail free birth and death certificates from division offices. “The corporation will purchase the laptops and printers at a cost of Rs 81 lakh,” Mr Subramanian added.

Last Updated on Friday, 30 July 2010 11:26
 

Strict rules to govern UT road construction

Friday, 30 July 2010 06:41 administrator
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The New Indian Express  30.07.2010

Strict rules to govern UT road construction

 
 
PUDUCHERRY: To discourage haphazard laying of roads, the Puducherry government has decided to follow a policy for  laying of roads and drains in urban areas in a scientific manner. Development Commissioner Nutan Guha Biswas instructed  the Chief Town Planner(CTP)  to take the lead  by co-ordinating  with various departments and public forums to ensure  proper laying of roads. A committee would be constituted under CTP with representatives from stake holders.

A scientific study would be taken up by the committee before the road work is initiated by studying in detail to arrive at the correct levels and other technicalities like type of drains, type of roads, the depth of the drains and the height of the roads. Even ongoing works would be examined before continuing any road work. Besides, the digging of roads for laying cables and pipes immediately after the laying of roads could be avoided.

This was decided at a nine-member committee meeting chaired by the development commissioner along with CTP, director of local administration department, commissioner of municipalities and NGOs earlier this month after  two road laying works in Rue Dupoy and Muthumariamman Koil Street were mired  in controversy.

Public forums Pondy CAN and People’s Pulse had raised an objection on `careless’ laying of roads which was leading to residential house levels going down than the road level and improper gradient of drains causing water stagnation.

Last Updated on Friday, 30 July 2010 06:45
 

‘Many buildings in city yet to release OSR land’

Friday, 30 July 2010 06:25 administrator
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The New Indian Express  30.07.2010

‘Many buildings in city yet to release OSR land’

 

CHENNAI: The City Corporation’s Opposition leader Saidai P Ravi on Thursday said that several private firms flouted the mandatory norms and failed to hand over the open space reserve (OSR) land to the civic body.

Addressing the councillors during the monthly council meet at the Ripon Building, Ravi said that more than 50 such buildings in the city have shown scant regards to the mandatory rule and urged the Mayor to acquire the OSR lands and develop them in to Corporation parks and playfields.

“Particularly, posh hotels and commercial complexes in the city have not handed over the OSR land. For instance, on Arcot Road near Vadapalani, a star-rated hotel is yet to hand over about 22 grounds of OSR land; similarly, a private educational institution near Vadapalani  has been enjoying eight grounds of OSR land for the past few years. The Chennai Corporation should periodically co-ordinate with CMDA authorities and identify such OSR lands, take custody and put them to use for public utility,” said Ravi .

Pointing out that the cost of land was skyrocketing in city, Ravi said, “even the other government departments including the housing board was not ready to share land with the civic body for any development work.”  Responding to Ravi’s accusations, Mayor M Subramanian demanded that the opposition leader submit a list of such buildings for further legal action.

Emphasising that no buildings in the city would be spared if they dodged procedures a nd regulations, Subramanian recalled recent OSR land acquisitions: the compound walls of a star-rated hotel being demolished to acquire OSR land, OSR land being acquired in Aminjikarai, Nelson Manickam Road junction, from a shopping complex and the land near the State Election Commission office in Koyambedu. These plots were now being developed into Corporation parks, said the Mayor.

Last Updated on Friday, 30 July 2010 06:29
 
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