Chennai Corpn seals three bldgs

Chennai

The Chennai Corporation on Friday sealed three under-construction buildings at Choolai, in the Nungambakkam zone, for violating development control rules. This is the first time the corporation has acted against such structures. Earlier, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) was taking action.

The buildings sealed are at 10/21, Rotler Street; 27, Hunters Road and 5/1, Gopal Menon Street in Choolai. The builders obtained permits for construction of stilt, first and second floors from the corporation but failed to adhere to ‘set back’ norms (space around the building), in terms of height of the building, depth of the plot and width of the road, officials said.

“Almost all of them have built additional floors ranging between three and five, with no safety concerns,” said a senior official associated with the sealing operation. The building owners had been served notices in June last, and the enforcement action followed as per Section 56 (2A) of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.

The premises would remain sealed till the buildings were restored as per planning permission/removal of unauthorised portion or till the present order was revoked, officials said. The corporation also warned the public from acquiring the properties. “Neither the owner nor developer/occupier has any right to use the premises in any manner, whatsoever of to tamper with the seal. In the event of violation, deviation, the owner/developer, occupier will be liable for criminal prosecution,” sources said. During a meeting with zonal officials on Saturday last, corporation commissioner D Karthikeyan directed them to identify unauthorised buildings and initiate action. A series of such operations is likely to continue in the coming days.

Friday’s action comes exactly a week after a committee appointed by the Madras high court to look into unauthorised constructions directed the CMDA and local bodies in the Chennai Metropolitan Area to put an end to the menace. Hundreds of buildings in the city are said to have violated building norms, including on floor space index and parking. The builders are known to get plan permits from the corporation for ground and first floors before building additional floors.

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