Minutes of the 28th Meeting of the Monitoring Committee Held on 11.01.2008

What the minutes cover

The Monitoring Committee at CMDA considered responses and evidence from applicants seeking regularisation of commercial multi-storeyed buildings. It accepted that specified construction at eleven Chennai properties had been completed before 28 February 1999, based on records such as CMDA inspections, demolition notices, electricity connections, property tax records and other official correspondence.

The minutes record decisions on properties in New Washermenpet, Egmore, Mylapore, Teynampet, Kilpauk, Nungambakkam, Gopalapuram and Purasawalkam.

General regularisation conditions

The Monitoring Committee resolved to regularise certain commercial multi-storeyed buildings subject to these conditions:

• Alternative fire safety measures must meet the norms of the Director of Fire and Rescue Services.
• CMDA officials must inspect each building before raising the regularisation fee demand.
• The regularisation fee must be collected at the Regularisation 1999 Scheme rate.
• No additional construction is allowed beyond what was already reported.

Acceptance that a building existed before 28 February 1999 did not protect every later addition. The committee limited regularisation to eligible portions and directed applicants to remove specified structures.

Structures required to be removed

The Monitoring Committee recorded the following removal requirements:

• At Door No. 2, Binny Road, structures in the southern and western setback areas that violated CRZ-II guidelines had to be removed.
• At Door No. 132, TTK Road, setback structures not covered by the approved plan or 1999 regularisation plan, and the eighth-floor portion of the tower block, had to be removed.
• At Door No. 850, Poonamallee High Road, the fourth-floor portion had to be removed because it was not completed before 28 February 1999.
• At Door No. 2, Victoria Crescent Road, an incidental setback structure violating CRZ-II guidelines had to be removed.
• At No. 144/1, Nungambakkam High Road, only portions in the 1999 regularisation plan were eligible. Additional sixth-floor areas built later were excluded.
• At Door No. 240, Lloyds Road, the sixth-floor portion and subsequently added structures had to be removed.

Why it matters to property owners and buyers

Owners and buyers of the named properties should distinguish between the portions accepted for regularisation and additions specifically excluded or ordered to be removed. The minutes do not grant a general right to regularise new construction and expressly prohibit construction beyond what had already been reported.