CHENNAI: In a blatant violation by officials of CMDA and Thiruverkadu Municipality, a layout was tinkered with to help a developer construct plots, keeping in the dark the legal owners of the property.
The issue pertains to 2.4 acres of prime land at 64 Ayanambakkam village in Ambattur taluk in Tiruvallur district. The owners Kamala Rajaram, Sivakami, Parvathy and Hemamalini entered into an agreement with the city-based Sterling Estates and Properties to construct residential units. But, CMDA had in 2009 granted approval only for 63 cents, returning the rest.
However, the quartet came to know of this only when the developer handed over their share of the residential units. Of the 58 units of residential houses which were constructed, the developer’s share has already been sold. But, to their shock, the owners found that construction was completed on the entire land without proper approval for layout and a total area of 664 square metres had been gifted and handed over to local body of Thiruverkadu Municipality in November 2009 for public use as road.
“Now, a big grill gate stands there, though the intersect roads are not gifted to local body but in our absolute possession and enjoyment. The buyers have no access to their plots,” said Devarajan, a retired Income Tax officer whose wife is one of the owners.
It is alleged that commissioner of Thiruverkadu municipality had granted approval knowing fully well that the proposal was returned unapproved and that the municipality has no delegated powers to grant such approval as per Development Regulations.
Municipality officials have shown the property of Kamala Rajaram and others as existing roads.
Surprisingly, even the Electricity Board has effected domestic connections to the plots without verifying the layouts as well as status of the roads. Even Ambattur sub-registrar office had failed to follow the rules in registering the plots in the layout without verifying land records, the owners claimed. When it was brought to the notice of the government, a probe was ordered and CMDA was asked to give a report on the violation. The Regional Director of Municipal Administration was asked to fix responsibilities on those responsible for the fraud.
CMDA officials told Express that they have asked for all connected records from Thiruverkadu Municipality along with remarks. But, the municipality has yet to submit the report. “The approval fraudulently given by the local body is yet to be cancelled,” a owner said.