The Tripunithura Municipality has been issuing permits to construct buildings bypassing the rule that constructions should be allowed only five metres off the road. The move will affect the road-widening plans in the area which is reeling under traffic bottlenecks.
The residents’ associations and social workers in Tripunithura have alleged that the Municipal authorities have connived with building owners to provide permits to buildings and flats without abiding to the prescribed distance.
“The municipality has issued permission for three buildings at East Fort violating the construction norms. On the East Fort stretch, with the permission of the municipality, a private party has completed construction of a building just two metres away from the road. A building at Market Junction has also violated the rule,” said a councillor.
He added that such violations should be controlled and brought to book. The law must be made equal for all,” he said.
A resident and social worker in Tripunithura alleged that the municipal authorities took a bribe of `10 lakh from a flat owner at Eroor. “The flat owner was given permission to construct a flat at Eroor after he bribed `10 lakh to the authorities. Now, the owner is facing legal procedures,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tripunthura municipal secretary T S Saifudeen refuted the allegations. “Such allegations are not true. Those who raise such allegation are ignorant of the law. Some buildings have been given exemption and permitted to construct buildings three metres away from the road. We have given permission only to the buildings which abide by the rule. I am not aware about the bribe allegations,” T S Saifudeen said.