Number of permissions exceed applications: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority received 191 applications from developers for registering their projects, but it is learnt that the applications received do not tally with the number of planning permissions issued by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA.) More than 500 planning permission orders are likely to have been issued, sources say.
This comes in the wake of Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan reviewing the implementation of Real Estate Regulatory Authority and regularisation of unauthorised layouts as well as simplification of procedures for building plan approval. It is learnt that since the applications received for project registration do not match with the planning permission issued by DTCP and CMDA, notices are now being issued to all the promoters.
This again highlights the failure on the part of DTCP and CMDA officials in issuing completion certificates for all projects, which is mandated in the wake of the Moulivakkam tragedy. Sources indicated that notices will be issued to all the promoters who have obtained planning permission in 2015 as far as the Directorate of Town and Country Planning area is concerned but have not obtained Completion Certificate. Similarly, notices will also be issued to promoters who have obtained planning permission in Chennai Metropolitan area last year but did not obtain Completion Certificate. Sources said the main issue is that as responsibility has not been fixed on officials, violation goes unchecked.
The issue has been raised by CMDA audit queries regularly, but neither officials or earlier governments have acted on it. “Usually, a file relating to planning permission is sent to Income Tax department and Enforcement section. It is the duty of enforcement section to monitor the projects regularly, but they seldom do it,” said sources. While officials in TNRERA may have sent notices to developers, a close look on the background of officials and audit reports pertaining to irregularities would bring to light the role of former CMDA officials who are now being given plum posts under TNRERA, sources alleged. Meanwhile, TNRERA has approved and assigned registration to 20 projects while 58 applications are pending for want of particulars. Another 113 are being scrutinised, sources added. The number of agents who have now registered with TNRERA has gone up to 45 from earlier 18.