CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) have sought the state government’s approval to constitute a high-level committee to monitor unauthorised constructions in the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA).
The committee, chaired by the corporation commissioner and comprising CMDA officials and the directorate of Town and Country Planning, will be constituted based on the directions of the High Court bench comprising justices D Krishnakumar and P Dhanabal.
Sources said this would provide powers to the commissioner to monitor even unauthorised high-rise buildings, which come under the purview of CMDA.On June 14, the Madras High Court expressed its displeasure that despite various directions, no effective measures were taken to address unauthorised constructions. The court also brought to the notice of the corporation commissioner that there are four major categories of unauthorised constructions - illegal and unauthorised, without obtaining planning permission, buildings having floors beyond permission, permission obtained for residential, but using it for commercial purposes and deviated constructions.
However, this puts to question the fate of the special task force which was constituted after a G.O. was passed on December 17, 2018. Official sources said the fate of the special task force would be decided by the housing department. This could bring in contradictions, said a former planner on condition of anonymity. He also said that unauthorised constructions should be monitored zone-wise or division-wise using the manpower of the corporation rather than in an unorganised way as is done by using limited manpower of CMDA.
Earlier, a monitoring committee was set up by the Madras High Court to oversee the legalisation of unauthorised buildings built before February 2, 1999, under Section 113 A. While the entire process is being scrutinised, the monitoring committee is struggling to find relevance under Section 113-C, a new scheme giving amnesty to violators who have constructed buildings before 2007.