Manali collapse: TNHB, CMDA pass buck

CHENNAI: A day after a balcony collapse at TNHB flats in Manali New Town claimed the life of a woman, two government agencies involved in promoting the flats were found shifting blames over the incident. While the Tamil Nadu Housing Board washed its hands off stating the property belonged to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the CMDA said that their duty was only to sell the flats.When Express contacted officials from Tamil Nadu Housing Board on the poor condition of the apartment complex in Manali New Town, they said it did not come under their jurisdiction and that the CMDA were the owners.However, when CMDA sources were contacted, they said that their duty was to sell the flats. “The building was constructed by Tamil Nadu Housing Board and they handed it over to us,” he said.Interestingly, an official said that the owners were the ones who had to be blamed for the poor condition. “The building was constructed in the 80s and for the past three decades, no repair work has been undertaken,” the official said squarely blaming the owners.