3,000 unauthorised structures in city!

KOCHI:  Those who have violated the building rules are in for trouble. The Kochi Corporation will soon take stringent action against illegal buildings in various places under its limits. The decision in this regard was taken after a detailed study conducted by the Town Planning Committee which found that nearly 3,000 buildings in the city have been constructed violating the building rules partly or fully. The report submitted by the committee states that the list of the buildings includes petty shops situated on road sides and buildings erected on ‘purambokke land’. The Town Planning Committee has conducted the study based on the complaints made by many councillors in the council meeting. “The list of buildings includes star hotels too. Earlier, the councillors had complained about the multi-storeyed building erected in Kaloor and a hotel on Kaniyampuzha Road. The report also stated that nearly 10 buildings, including hotels, have been erected in the Fort Kochi-Mattanchery Heritage Zone,” said a  corporation official.Regarding the encroachment by vendors and commercial establishments, the council in 2009 had served notices to the owners to pull down the buildings. “But they filed petitions before the High Court. The legal procedures  hinder the Corporation from taking further action,” he said.Apart from illegal erection of buildings, some commercial establishments that have converted the parking space into business space were also listed in the report. “The list prepared by the Town Planning Committee also consists of commercial establishments in the heart of the city. The majority of these establishments has violated the rules while being renovated and modified,” said the official. Several buildings constructed in Palarivattam and Kadavanthra have not adhered to the rules.“Even on the banks of Chilavannoor river, which is included in the Coastal Regulation Zone, illegal buildings have been identified.  The Coastal Protection Regulatory Authority had earlier identified eight apartments in the area and has requested the Corporation to take action against them,” said the official.The official said that minimal violations can evade strong punishment by remitting fine and regularising the building. “In case of serious violations, the civic body can even look into the possibilities of demolishing the building,” the official said.The District Road Safety Council has also requested the Corporation to take action against vendors for encroaching upon roads. “The Corporation will soon serve notice to the building owners on the violation of rules. If they fail to respond, the civic body will take action as per the clauses in the existing building rule,” he said.