People running from pillar to post as property registration documents get stuck in ‘headless’ department

C Shivakumar
Chennai:

People are being forced to run pillar to post to get their property
registration documents which are gathering dust for the last five to
six months as the post of district revenue officer (stamps) lies
vacant in Chennai Collectorate.

Even as the state government is losing revenue worth several crores of
rupees by not collecting the stamp duties, the wait for getting the
registration documents to get patta transferred or pay property tax or
sell the property is even forcing people to take the legal route to
get back the documents.

Advocate Abdul Razzak, who is also a victim due to the delay in
getting back his document, says it has resulted in a huge delay in his
plan to sell his property. “I had no other go but to file a case in
the High Court which has passed a favourable order,” says Razzak.

But all are not lucky as Razzak. Sources at the department located in
Chennai Collectorate say that thousands of files are pending. “We are
helpless. The files can’t be returned to the owner of the property
until it gets the approval of DRO, Stamps,” they say.

But with nearly five months have passed, registration documents
disputing the guideline value of property under 47 A are gathering
dust.

Even, the DRO (stamps) office wears a desolate look. A few persons
hoping against the hope wait at the entrance while other call through
the landline. “The DRO is not there as such the files won’t be
cleared. Once the DRO is appointed then it will be cleared,” says the
official while putting the phone down.

Most of the officials are sympathetic to people but then all they have
is sympathies which is worthless for a man in despair to sell his
property to either pay debts or even get his daughter married.

The department handles cases pertaining to 47 A. This section is about
resolving disputes over the guideline value of property. “Once a party
disputes the guideline value, the document is referred to DRO stamps.
He settles the dispute between parties regarding the guideline value,”
an official said.

“We are hoping that by next month we will have a DRO,” the official
says. But people say this has been the answer for the last five
months.