THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Long before it became Thiruvananthapuram and turned capital of illegal frames, the city had a royal past. Pampered by rajahs and developed by their foresight. The Fort area, which is now the heritage zone of the city, owes its honour to the royal lot, but that has not helped the place a bit. It is a hub of unauthorised constructions, thanks to the despotic attitude of some.
Kuthiramalika, the place known for hosting the best musicians of the land, would narrate a model story. Close to the walls of this heritage structure, caring nothing for rules, has come up a construction that is a specimen of the illegal virus eating the city. It is reliably learnt that though the matter was taken up with the Corporation officials, they had shown a hapless face. The Mayor himself being no exception. Which means, the family has been left with no option but to move court. We wonder, if ‘rajahs’ have no way, how do the public fare?
For, the owner of the construction is no small fry. An earlier Mayor, who is an MLA now, two Councils ago, had demolished one of his illegal buildings and garnered much support. One may dismiss it as the ex-Mayor’s PR tactics, though it had been a pleasant sight for many. But, nothing changed.
Allegations about prominent jewellery shops at East Fort encroaching on land for creating parking facilities and otherwise have always remained strong. The parking space which was owned by the KSRTC at East Fort next to the Corporation garage is now the parking lot of a jewellery store. Officials reiterate there is nothing unofficial about it. We believe them!
On the other side, the road development work at Sreevarahom Fort area (reducing many agraharams to half) also has been reason for unauthorised constructions in this heritage zone.
A little forward, to the MG Road and nearby, there are various instances of restaurants making use of the parking lots for other purposes. May that be the six-storeyed vegetarian restaurant at Thampanoor or the sea-food restaurant at Vazhuthacaud Junction. A newly-opened eatery opposite the College for Women is also a perfect example. The list is so long, the page would be found short.
Why is the Town Planning Department, which seems to have a squad for itself, so hand-tied when it comes to controlling bigwigs? The ‘jinx’ surfaces, though it is not a sensible reason.
The Town Planning Officer’s (TPO) chair at the City Corporation is a seat of superstition. Off the record, many would willingly tell you that no officer has sat there for too long. Either suspension or punishment transfer would come calling.
In the four-and-a-half years of the present Council, three TPOs have come and gone. The fourth TPO, who is currently serving, has come from TRIDA and is only getting to know the facts. While the last officer was suspended when a portion of the hotel at Thampanoor came crumbling down, another had to leave on a corruption charge.
If not corruption, politics has been creating regular seating variations in the Town Planning Standing Committee too. The Council has seen three Chairmen to the post in its period. The Kerala Congress (J) member, who was the first Chairman, later gave his seat to a Janata Dal counterpart based on a pre-election agreement. The RSP member who is the present Chairperson is new to the job, but, thankfully, would not get enough time to learn the trade. The preparations for local body elections in September has already begun hush-hush.
But Corporation officials say things are getting better at the department. ‘‘The agents of builders who used to roam around the Corporation office after office-hours have now disappeared and a register has been introduced to enter the details of the applications for building permits. Steps have been taken to see that the long-pending applications are done away with,’’ says a top official at the local body.
A leader of the Opposition tells us that though the agents are not seen on the Corporation premises, there are other places for the officials and agents to meet and the business is in full swing as always. We leave that for the Mayor to deal.
With the local body elections round the corner, the Council has little time to act. To break the belief that the Council is weak and the officialdom authoritative, a single step against illegal sproutings would do. Unfortunately, guts are not for sale.
asha.nair@expressbuzz.com
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