CMDA's Plot Allocation Put on Hold as Applicants Smell Rat

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority postponed the drawal of lots for Marimalai Nagar on Wednesday following protests by applicants who suspected irregularities in the allotment of serial numbers to the applications that were considered for the draw.

The crowd that gathered in a large number at the Chennai Trade Centre got boisterous as the drawal of lots for the Middle Income Group plot in Marimalai Nagar started.

As the announcer announced the application number 511551 for the allotment of the plot, a section of crowd were on their feet questioning how the serial number could crop up when the total applications were in the range of around 70,000.

As the protest soon gathered momentum, the drawal of lots was stopped as authorities kept pleading with the crowd that the mistake was due to manual error and there is total transparency in the allotments.

But the crowd refused to be pacified questioning the allotment stating that this error should have been rectified prior to the drawal of lots.

Manikandan, a postal department employee, said that why the officials have collected the applications manually. “It should have been computerised like how it is being done in railways. We have doubts as the five digit serial number suddenly changed to six,” he reasoned.

Shiva, a BSNL employee, said that there were duplication of numbers as such alphabets (A and B) were added to the numerals.

CMDA officials blamed the huge crowd during the last two days for the irregularity in the serial numbers. “If anyone has a doubt they should verify it on the website,” a CMDA official told crowd.

But since the crowd could not be pacified, the drawal of lots for 74 allotments in Marimalai Nagar was stopped.

Interestingly, the drawal of lots for the allotments of plot in Manali New Town went without any hassle. A total of 82 plots --- 38 in economically weaker section, 16 in lower income group 1, nine in lower income group 2, 16 in middle icome group and three in higher income group were allotted by the lot system.

A senior CMDA source said that the drawal has been postponed and a fresh date would be arrived after discussions.