CHENNAI: The recommendations of the Justice Rajeswaran Committee, which was appointed to frame draft rules and guidelines for implementation of Section 113-C of the Town and Country Planning Act to grant amnesty to unauthorised developments for the second time, has been watered down, according to sources.
As per information available with Express, the initial draft has not accepted the recommendation of the Justice Rajeswaran Committee, which is to abide by Justice Sampath Commission’s recommendation that schools within the city’s limits cannot function in buildings that are taller than three-storeys (ground + 2 floors).
The latter gave its recommendations after the 2004 Kumbakonam school fire accident, which resulted in deaths of 94 students. As per norms stipulated under Section 113-C, school buildings may be regularised irrespective of number of floors, subject to complying with structural stability and fire and life safety measures.
There will also be re-development of the George Town area, where 99 per cent buildings have violated rules.Similarly, under Section 113-C draft proposal, it is recommended to include all buildings as high as 17.25m under special buildings, irrespective of number of floors, and such buildings will be considered for grant of regularisation, applying relaxation limits proposed for special buildings.
As per the Justice Rajeswaran Committee observation, any exemption of buildings should be given as per type of development, with respect to number of storeys. “The development regulations and development control regulations have classified buildings as ordinary, special, group developments and multi-storied buildings. Parametres of exemption have to vary according to these types of developments, depending on requirements for fire and life safety,” the committee had observed.