Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Unauthorised structures to be demolished

Special Correspondent

573 commercial complexes in Coimbatore face the bulldozer

RELIEF, AT LAST? Cross-Cut Road where the Coimbatore Corporation is set to carry out demolition of unauthorised structures. - PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

COIMBATORE: In a move that may have a far-reaching effect on how buildings come up in the city, the Coimbatore Corporation is preparing to demolish unauthorised structures in 573 multi-storeyed commercial complexes.

Action against officials

The civic body will not stop with just the demolition. Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran told reporters on Friday that action will be taken against the officials who gave sanction to these structures. The departmental action may even be denial of promotion, he said.

Floors constructed without approval, structures occupying space meant only for parking and totally unsafe buildings face the Corporation's bulldozers. The Commissioner said the civic body would begin the demolition soon, but did not specify a date.

The drive would begin on Cross-Cut Road. Later, D.B. Road in R.S. Puram and the congested Oppanakara Street would also be taken up. The drive across the city would be carried out along with the Local Planning Authority (LPA). "We will take two buildings a day for demolition as we do not have enough equipment or manpower. But, the entire drive will be carried out."

The Commissioner said that the demolition had been decided after giving enough time to the owners of the buildings to remove the unauthorised or unsafe structures.

Notices served

"Three notices have been served on them, asking them to remove the structures. As they have not done anything so far, we have decided to demolish them," he said. The cost of demolition would be recovered from the owners, he said.

Of the 573 buildings, 460 were found to be totally unsafe, 41 had serious violations and 72 had no fire safety measures. Most of these buildings had come up over the last five years, the Commissioner said. The LPA had provided a list of 41 buildings that were found to have violations that compromised on public safety.

Building rule violation

Admitting there was a widespread opinion that these structures thrived because of inaction on the part of officials, the Commissioner said even the public could inform the civic body of such structures so that action could be taken.

To a specific question whether some hotels who had indulged in building rules violation would be proceeded against, the Commissioner said: "They are also commercial buildings."

Even as this drive was on, Corporation officials would inspect buildings under construction to check whether they conformed to the approved building plan. Deviations would be acted against swiftly.

On parking space violation in buildings and the resultant chaos on roads, Mr. Muthuveeran said that commercial complexes in Thailand's capital Bangkok had some floors for parking alone. "If the buildings had six to seven floors, at least two to three of them are for parking."

On a 70,000 sq.ft. building coming up near the Central Bus Stand at Gandhipuram here, but without a proper approach road, the Commissioner asked Town Planning Officer M. Soundararajan who had cleared the project. Mr. Muthuveeran said suitable action would be taken on any violation.

Warning to schools

The Corporation would soon order schools to provide parking space for vehicles coming to drop or pick up students. The institutions would be warned against holding these vehicles at the gates as this hampered traffic on main roads.

The Commissioner said the schools should provide space for the vehicles on their premises. "Let the vehicles enter through a point, drop or pick up the students and leave through another point." This need not be done on the roads, he said.

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