Less than one per cent of buildings in George Town are without violations, says Chennai corporation

Chennai:

Less than one per cent of buildings in George Town area are built
without any violations, according to a preliminary survey carried out
by Chennai Corporation.

Chennai Corporation, which carried out a survey of 449 streets having
a width less than nine metres, found that only 72 of the 11,304
buildings may have no violations.

“It is clear therefore from the preliminary survey that less than one
per cent of the buildings are built without any violation. Even in
respect of these 72 buildings, only after a detailed floor-wise
inspection along with a copy of the approve dplan can it be
categorically stated whether they have violations or not,” Chennai
Corporation submitted before the court.

Interestingly, Chennai Corporation has stated that the floor-wise
violation can be ascertained only after obtaining the sanctioned plan
from the individual property owners.

“During the survey, it has not been possible to ascertain the details
as records and approved plan are not readily available either with
Chennai Corporation or with individual owners since several buildings
may have been constructed decades ago,” Chennai Corporation stated.

Interestingly, since the beginning of this year, Chennai corporation
has issued only 607 notices in George Town area calling for approved
plan besides issuing 162 lock and seal notice and 26 de-occupation
notice. Of more than 10,000 illegal buildings, only 12 of them have
actually been sealed.

Corporation said that to do a detailed survey as mandated by High
court, each building’s status has to verified along with approved plan
and other records to establish when individual portions were built as
well as the guidelines of the regularization scheme. It also stated
that it is awaiting guidelines under Section 113-C of Tamil Nadu town
and country Planning act of 1971 which are to be framed by the
government for exemption of buildings completed prior to July 2007