CHENNAI: Is the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority facing fund crunch? It is learnt that the TNRERA, which is functioning without a full-time chairman, has sought `10 crore from the government after moving into a swanky office in the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority building.
With huge rent and highly paid officials, the agency is struggling to keep TNRERA functioning, according to sources. Interestingly, a top TNRERA official said that TNRERA has sought budgetary support in anticipation of possible costs to be incurred on the authority and tribunal. “We don’t have immediate crunch requirement,” the official added.
The headless body is currently run by the Housing Secretary temporarily along with retired officials of the CMDA and nominal muster roll workers, most of whom are linked to the CMDA officials. These officials are working as there have been no fixed qualifications or salaries prescribed for the appointment.
It is learnt from sources that the TNRERA is paying heavy rent. The office has also been refurbished with 50-ton air-conditioner. “Why should they spend so much, that too for temporary staff, who are mostly retired CMDA officials? They are getting pension as well as salary under the temporary post. Instead of going in for rented premises which is costing lakhs, the TNRERA could have operated on the CMDA premises with officials assigned on deputation,” a former planner said.
Sources claim that the entire refurbishment of the swanky TNRERA office was carried out in five to six parts to avoid the tendering process.
R Radhakrishnan, former national president of the Builders Association of India, said that it is time TNRERA’s affairs are put in order by appointing the committee members and chairman. “This would restore the confidence of promoters and consumers,” he said. Currently, there has been a lack of transparency in the functioning of TNRERA, alleges president of the Association of Professional Town Planners K M Sadanandh. Pointing out the lack of details in the TNRERA portal as mandated by rules, Sadanandh says the portal has only one liners about the project, lacking details about carpet area and other important details helpful for buyers.
He says that many of the projects which claimed completion certificates from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning and Chennai Metropolitan development authority are incomplete. Radhkrishnan concurs with Sadanandh on the failure of the TNRERA to update the website as mandated under the Act. However, with lack of committee members and chairman, there is an absence of accountability, claim sources.
Fee revised
TNRERA has revised the fee for filing complaints against promoter or project. Now a complainant has to pay a fee of `1,000 and additional payment of `600 online towards registering a complaint. For filing complaints before the adjudicating officer, a fee of `5,000 and additional payment of `600 towards postage charges should be paid online