The Hindu : Front Page : Plea to condone building violations opposed

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Friday, Jun 27, 2008
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Plea to condone building violations opposed

A. Srivathsan

— Photo:R. Ragu

Residents and civic activists want strict action against building violations.

CHENNAI: The proposal by the Panagal Park and Usman Road Traders Association to declare T. Nagar as a special retail zone and condone building violations has drawn flak from various sections.

G. Kailsam, a long-time resident of Usman Road, opposes regularisation of unauthorised commercial buildings at T.Nagar.

T. Nagar was a residential area, but excessive and illegal constructions changed the character of the locality, leading to the current chaos, he told The Hindu.

“Strict action must be taken and any violations in future must be stopped at the beginning. Most of the unauthorised commercial buildings at T. Nagar have scant regard for user safety,” he said.

Bharat Jairaj of the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group that filed a public interest litigation against extension of regularisation schemes and building violations said the request by the T.Nagar traders for condonation was unacceptable and unconstitutional.

“To say that they were ignorant of rules is untenable and the courts have held these buildings as violations. The High Court has assessed the situation and shown leniency to residential buildings, but in the case of unauthorised commercial buildings, it has categorically stated that the buildings have to be demolished. The court has pronounced its verdict on this matter and it is time for some action to be taken,” he said.

Prakash Challa, president, Confederation of Real Estate Developer’s Associations of India, Tamil Nadu, said, “In the case of T. Nagar, since most of the buildings have already been built, a stiff penalty in the form of a fine or higher property tax could be imposed and the buildings regularised.”

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