Building owners get last chance

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The state government has decided to give a final ‘opportunity’ for owners of over 20,000 unauthorised buildings, including 17,000 residential buildings in the Chennai metropolitan area, for regularisation.

After a lull, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has started despatching ‘opportunity’ letters to the owners who had applied for regularising their buildings during 1999-2002. The letter sought the owners to submit proof that the construction was completed before the cut-off date, 1999, or else it would have to face the sledgehammer.

“This is to provide an opportunity to the owners to save their buildings. They have to clarify their status, based on which further action would be taken,” sources in CMDA told DC.

A senior official said 20,000 applications were received during 1999-2002 when the government had decided to provide respite to unauthorised constructions in CMA. “As many as 6,000 applications had been received from building owners in 1999 when the scheme was introduced and had escalated to 20,000 in the year 2000, and gone past 25,000 in 2002.”

Of this, 20,000 buildings would be taken up for action and CMDA plans to send letters to 3,500 commercial complexes initially and 17,000 residential buildings soon after. “If they provide evidence that it was built before the cut-off date, they can avoid action failing which they would face demolition.

Documents, including electricity bills, property tax, CMDA action taken reports, metro water bills can be presented as evidence,” the official said.

The Madras high court had earlier directed the authorities to regularise only buildings that were constructed before 28.2.1999 provided the owners had applied for regularisation before 30.6.2002, the date till when the government had extended

More teeth to enforcement wing of monitoring committee

The high court appointed monitoring committee constituted to take decisions on unauthorised constructions in Chennai and suburbs has decided to restructure its enforcement wing to make it more efficient. Besides, it has also resolved to initiate action against unauthorised buildings during construction itself.

A monitoring committee member, after a hour-long meeting, told DC that it had been decided to take action in a combined manner involving officials of CMDA, corporation and local bodies.

He added that officials would be held accountable for any unauthorised constructions in their jurisdiction and cannot simply pass the buck on others.

“Earlier, authorities used to take action or issue warning notices only after the completion of buildings. But, the monitoring committee has decided to direct officials to take action immediately if any violation was found.