CMDA expands enforcement cell; launches month long special enforcement drive

Chennai:

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is launching a month-long
special enforcement drive by setting up four teams to monitor all
approved plans stage wise.

Sources told Express this comes in the wake of Moulivakkam building
collapse as well as at a time when CMDA is facing legal battles on
failure to initiate action against illegal buildings.

Sources said that CMDA is planning to add teeth to its enforcement
cell, which is working 10 times less than the manpower required to
carryout the enforcement action in Chennai Metropolitan Area, by
adding two more enforcement action wing.

Earlier the enforcement cell had two enforcement action wing and two
completion certificate wing. Now it will have four enforcement action
wings and two completion certificate wings. It is learnt that every
wing will have to lock and seal two buildings week.

Two of the enforcement action wings will take care of illegal
developments in South Chennai while one each will take of illegal
buildings in North and Central Chennai.

Interestingly, this also brings to question is CMDA trying to wrest
back power and authority of enforcement action it had given to local
bodies. Sources say the local bodies have also failed in taking
enforcement action and some like panchayats are openly flouting the
development regulations.

It is learnt that the measure by CMDA would fail to make an impact as
CMDA enforcement cell is working with a manpower which is 10 times
less than the required manpower.

As per the rough estimate made in 2007, there were three lakh building
in Chennai Metropolitan Area constructed unauthorisedly in deviation
to the approved plan but with a strength of 45 in the enforcement
action wing, it is highly unlikely that action could be taken against
these illegal buildings, CMDA sources said.

Despite recommendations by a committee to strengthen the enforcement
cell by adding more staff, there has been no action to fill up the
staff posing threat to the enforcement of development regulations.

Interestingly, CMDA as a whole has inadequate manpower. The total
additional staff proposals received from various units of CMDA works
out to 775 and the Committee, after taking into account the
requirements, has recommended the additional requirement to the tune
of 433 in various categories.  The present staff strength of CMDA is
around 650. The recommendation was made in 2009 when the staff
strength was 850.