CMDA Unearths Bogus Layouts in Thiruverkadu

CHENNAI: In what could be a blatant violation by officials of Thiruverkadu Municipality, a layout was allegedly forged to help a developer construct plots while earmarking legally obtained property as public road. And this is just a tip of the iceberg as CMDA has found prima-facie many such layouts during a review of local bodies.

The issue pertains to 2.4 acres of land situated at 64 Ayanambakkam Village in Ambattur taluk in Thiruvallur district owned by owners Kamala Rajaram, Sivakami, Parvathy and Hemamalini.

The owners had entered into a development agreement with Sterling Estates and Properties located in GN Chetty Road to develop the land and construct residential units in accordance with CMDA’s norms and parameters.

The developer then applied for planning permission for the 2.4 acres of land. Unfortunately, CMDA approved only 63 cents and returned the remaining land without granting its approval.

Interestingly, the owners allege that commissioner of Thiruverkadu municipality fraudulently granted the approval by bending the rules knowing fully well that the proposal was returned unapproved besides the Thiruverkadu municipality has no delegated powers to grant such approval as per Development Regulations.

“The fraudulent layout granted by the municipality has no accessibility and the buyers have no access to pathways leading to their plots,” the owners stated.

Interestingly, the municipality officials showed the property of Kamala Rajaram and others as existing roads. The owners said the member secretary of CMDA as well as commissioner of Thiruverkadu municipality know very well that without the pathways being gifted the developer cannot get approval for construction  of residential units.

Surprisingly, even the Electricity Board has effected domestic connections to the plots without calling for or neither verifying the layouts as well as status of the roads. The EB cables are running through the property without obtaining no objection certificate from the owners. Why was the for area engineer of state electricity board to effect all domestics connections in a single day without examining basic compliance, the owners stated.

Even Ambattur sub registrar office failed to follow the rules for registering a plot in the layout and did not verify chitta or patta. “The developer, CMDA, Thiruverkadu municipality, electricity board and sub registrar office in Ambattur criminally conspired together and fabricated the record showing our property as public road by forging the documents,” alleged an owner of the land.

Interestingly, when it was brought to the notice of the government, a probe was ordered and CMDA was asked to give a report on violation besides regional director of municipal administration was asked to fix responsibilities on those responsible for the goof-up. Interestingly,

CMDA officials told Express that they have asked for all connected records from Thiruverkadu Municipality along with remarks. But the irony is that the municipality has yet to submit the report. “The approval fraudulently given by the local body is yet to be cancelled,” a owner said.

Interestingly, this might be the tip of the iceberg as it is believed CMDA has unearthed many such fake layouts. “During the review we have found out prima-facie some of the layouts had some issues,” the official said.

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