CHENNAI: In what looks like a major scam, officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had cleared over 30 files relating to construction of multi-storey buildings during the last days of the DMK government even when the model code of conduct was in force.Now the CMDA has woken up to the issue and is re-examining the permissions.The recent scrutiny has led to the denial of planning permission to Brigade Enterprises and Hotel Leela Ventures, whose files were among those recommended for clearance hurriedly during the DMK regime.Earlier, officials had turned a blind eye to the planning violations and recommended clearance of more than 30 files before the multi-storied building panel on March 1 and May 9.According to information available with Express, Brigade Enterprises has sought planning permission for construction of double basement plus ground and three floors commercial building with 16.9 metres height at Kottivakkam village on Old Mahabalipuram Road in Chennai.The planning permission has been denied due to absence of proper linkage details on the land ownership transfers besides plan defects and violation of development regulations.Sources state that the original extent of land in existence and owned by one N A Sayeed prior to August 5, 1975 was 1.67 acres (6758sq m) and after taking into account land of about 950 square metres acquired by Highways Department for OMR widening, the extent of land now applied for works out to 1.13acres (4600 sqmt).The details on remaining extent of land of about 1200 square metre are unknown and in the absence of it, the regularisation of the unauthorized subdivision could not be examined and decided.Similarly, Hotel Leela Ventures had obtained planning permission for the construction of Triple basement plus stilt, ground floor and 13 floors for IT-enabled services besides construction of a hotel building with triple basement, ground floor plus 14 floors at Mylapore.Interestingly, in both the individual sites of hotel and IT building separately approved earlier, open space reservation (OSR) lands were reserved and handed over to CMDA and the CMDA in turn had handed it over to Chennai Corporation for maintenance. Now, the OSR land has become the property of the corporation.“The applicant now changed the OSR area which differs in dimension to the earlier approved ones. The applicant does not have any right to change the dimensions of the OSR already gifted to the local body since the ownership is vested with the local body,” CMDA observed.
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