Chennai: another illegal building at T Nagar?

CHENNAI: You might believe that the recent actions initiated by the Corporation and the CMDA, which sealed a number of commercial complexes in Ranganathan Street for violating planning norms, would have sent a strong message to the law breakers. However, an RTI filed by the residents of T Nagar with the CMDA, a reply to which was received in early October, reveals that a single-storey building that is now coming up at 28/29 Ranganathan street, allegedly belonging to a popular trader next door, has no plan approval and does not figure in the register of the authority.

Residents of the locality said that the construction activity of the building, located near Mambalam railway station at the end of the street, began in August. While they approached the alleged owners with queries about the structure, residents said the traders "feigned ignorance" and said they did not know who the builders were.

Following this, an RTI was filed with the CMDA asking for the specific plan of the building as well as the approval documents.  The Public Information Officer, in his reply, had stated that "no building  has been approved for door number 28/29 Ranganathan Street" and as there was no approval, the approval plan, as requested by the applicant, "is not available."

A quick check on the building revealed that the construction activity was still going on, with concrete mixers and bricks stationed outside. The residents, who requested anonymity, said that even if the owners of the building had taken permission after the date of the RTI reply, it would certainly amount to violation as the law concerned clearly specified that no construction activity should begin before the plan was approved by the authority. CMDA officials could not be contacted for comments.