Minutes of the 57th Meeting of the Monitoring Committee Held on 22.06.2016

What the minutes cover

The Minutes of the 57th Meeting of the Monitoring Committee record proceedings at CMDA on 22 June 2016. The document was signed on 30 June 2016 by the Vice-Chairman in charge, CMDA, acting as Convenor of the Monitoring Committee.

The main discussion concerned the Monitoring Committee's authority, the Government's appellate powers and the Committee's role in illegal building enforcement, regularisation applications, Master Plan changes and Development Control Regulations.

Monitoring Committee decisions and appeals

The discussion arose from an action taken report concerning Santhome High Road. The Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, had sought CMDA's remarks on a Greater Chennai Corporation resolution declaring the road width as 18 metres, with widening to 24 metres.

Key points recorded were:

• Some members considered that a Monitoring Committee decision on whether a regularisation application could be regularised should bind the Government.
• The Vice-Chairman in charge stated that an applicant aggrieved by a CMDA rejection could appeal to the Government, including where the rejection resulted from a Monitoring Committee decision.
• The Vice-Chairman in charge explained that the Government's appellate powers came from legislation and could not be restricted by a committee decision.
• The minutes also state that natural justice requires a mechanism to appeal against Monitoring Committee orders.
• Under High Court orders, Monitoring Committee recommendations on action against illegal special buildings and multistoreyed buildings are mandatory for CMDA and the Greater Chennai Corporation.
• For regularisation applications under Section 113-A and Section 113-A(6), and for changes to the Master Plan and Development Control Regulations, the Committee's role is consultative and guiding.

Some members remained dissatisfied and requested an adjournment. The meeting was accordingly adjourned.

Deferred matters affecting properties and development

The Monitoring Committee deferred the following matters:

• Information about CMDA suggestions to the Government.
• Regularisation of a basement, ground floor and upper-floor office-cum-residential building at Door No. 7, Pattulos Road, Triplicane village, Chennai.
• Proposed Development Regulation amendments for school buildings exceeding 300 square metres.
• An enforcement action taken report from the previous Monitoring Committee meeting.
• Details about completion certificates required for obtaining service connections.

No final decision on these deferred matters is recorded in the minutes.