Housing scheme for bureaucrats hits roadblock

CHENNAI:  The Rs 445 crore Nerkundram housing scheme for government servants has hit a roadblock as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is yet to approve the layout plan. According to sources, there were also some discrepancies in pricing.State Housing Minister R Vaithilingam said he was looking into the allegations reported in a section of media and would take a decision within a week. “The whole issue is being reviewed by me and I am going through all the documents,” he said.Sources claim the cost of flats for all-India service officers, which is about Rs 65 lakh, is way below the market value of approximately Rs 3 crore. It is also priced lower than that for Low Income Group government employees.Builders said the market value of per square feet is Rs 3,800 to Rs 4,000. Currently, the bureaucrats are allotted 1A and 1B type flats, measuring 2,460 sq ft and 1,925 sq ft, at Rs 2,603 and Rs 2,600 per sq ft, respectively. Interestingly, transferable development rights were also sought along with premium floor space index for the site.However, in the revised proposal placed before the MSB panel on May 6, it was stated that the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) has achieved a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 3.48 as against 3,94 in the earlier proposal, thereby reducing FSI by 0.46. But the permissible FSI for the proposal is 2.5, which means the FSI exceeds by 0.98 for which the applicant had agreed to provide an undertaking as per development regulations. Hence the question of availing FSI under TDR does not arise for the revised proposal, sources said.Sources also told Express that planning permission could be accorded only after the approval of the layout plan — pending with the CMDA — and fulfilling the norms specified by a multi-storey building panel on March 1 this year.Sources said although the proposal satisfies all the MSB parameters under development regulations, TNHB was yet to fulfill the requirements of handing over the land reserved as open space reservation and link road in the layout proposal.They also said TNHB has to form the abutting road as per the width available in the block map and also to remove encroachments on the abutting road.“It also has to clear the traffic in the area and arrange for removal of encroachments in the 18 metre wide road link (Erikarai Salai) in the south-west side of the site under reference on the existing road,” sources added.It was TNHB that had proposed to build houses for government employees, including IAS and IPS officers. It was part of the State government’s budget proposals during the 2009-2010. For All India Service Officers (AIS), two types of flats have been proposed: Type-A Flat with plinth area of 2,458 sq ft (four bedrooms) with tentative cost of `64 lakh and Type-B with plinth area of 1,923 sq ft (three bedrooms) with tentative cost of Rs 50 lakh. The scheme is applicable as per the norms fixed under the Own Your Housing Scheme on Self Financing and Hire Purchase basis.