CMDA seals building claimed to be ‘Walmart’ storage facility

Chennai:

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has sealed a building, alleged to be a proposed Walmart storage facility, on Poonamallee High Road for violating the norms and constructing it without obtaining a planning permission.

CMDA member secretary in a release said that enforcement action has been taken against the ongoing construction of a shopping mall in Noombal village of Poonamallee Highway as it was being built with any approved plan.

“A notice calling for the approved plan for the building, which consists of ground floor and part first floor, was issued on November 14. In response to the notice, the owner did not furnish any approved plan. Hence a locking and sealing notice was issued on November 27,” CMDA said.

“As the building is being constructed unauthorisedly and the construction work was in progress despite the notices issued, the building was locked and sealed,” CMDA added.

Interestingly, the building was in a controversy when 60 traders last week tried to storm it to protest against the alleged establishment of the US retail giant Walmart in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Vanikar Sangankalin Peramaippu president A M Vikkramraja welcomed CMDA’s decision to seal the building and thanked the Chief Minister for intervening in the issue.

“When Walmart has yet to get permission for the Union government to enter into India, they are entering the city through a sly way by tying up with Bharti Airtel,” he said.

He said that the local grocers and retailers were approached by Walmart to join its distribution network and the papers should now be returned to them. “We have sent a petition to the chief minister in this regard,” he added.

T Vellayan, president of Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders' Association said CXMDA’s decision to seal the building was a correct action. He urged the state government to ban Walmart at the policy level. Such, multinational companies should not be allowed to function in the state, he said.

Sources also said the commercial building is also being built in a industrial zone which itself is another violation. Vikkramraja said initially the setting up of Walmart instilled fear among the traders that they would be losing their livelihood. But the decision to seal the building has now given them some hope.