Appointment of former CMDA officials into RERA sparks protest

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The government is slowly filling in the vacancies of Real Estate Regulatory Authority by appointing the retired officials of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, many of whom were under the scanner of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption, sparking protest from builders, High Court appointed monitoring committee member as well as planners.

Although corruption charges against the officials have been dropped but builders and developers are cautious over the second stint of these officials, many of whom have been instrumental in making the development regulations a toothless one.

Former National President of the Builders' Association of India R Radhakrishnan has opposed the move. “It is a new system and a new law to benefit the system. It will soon become another conduit for corruption,” said Radhakrishan.

Interestingly, there is no transparency in the appointments for the statutory body, which also controls the Union territory of Andamans.

Madras High Court appointed CMDA Monitoring Committee member M G Deivasahayam said that appointing of retired CMDA officials as RERA office-bearers is like having a ‘Regulatory Catcher’. “This is like a organisation that needs to be regulated will capture the regulator,” he said.

Deivasahayam said that such a regulatory body is a burden on the tax-payer. “the officials who should be appointed as office-bearers of RERA should be totally independent professionals and not related to urban development department.

A developer on condition of anonymity said that it is the situation of a thief guarding the property. However, some of the developers differ stating that the officials from CMDA are knowledgeable about RERA and should be appointed as members.

The Association of Professional Town Planners (APTP) president K M

Sadanandh has said that there should be transparency in the appointment of office-bearers and officials.

“They should infuse fresh blood and not retired officials who have a fixed mindset,” he added. Sadanandh said that CMDA’s role is finished in issuing completion certificate after undertaking all checks. “The role now is to monitor the builder as well as the buyers grievances for which we require a technical, legal and a person with economics background. It is not that only CMDA has technical person,” he added.

Interestingly, CMDA has diluted the powers of Koyambedu Wholesale Market as well as Sathangadu Iron and Steel Market, which were supposed to be separate entities carved out under separate regulations. Now it is being totally controlled by CMDA, said a former planner.