NELLORE: Notwithstanding the caution sounded by civic body authorities across the state, people have been falling prey to real-estate promoters involved in marketing layouts that violate all norms in the book, especially 10 per cent vacant site for the future needs of the community such as schools, temples, Primary Health Centres etc.
Nellore Urban Development Authority vice-chairman and CEO T. Bapi Reddy, who demolished 20 odd illegal layouts in Nellore recently, said that most people ignore verifying the veracity of the approvals while underlining the need to cross check with Panchayats, Civic bodies or Urban Development Authorities concerned.
Stressing that it has become common for the builders and layout promoters to violate conditions and take unsuspecting customers for a ride, he appealed the public not to invest their lifelong savings and retirement benefits on illegal layouts.
He alleged that people who purchased Directorate of Town and Country Planning approved layouts few years ago were shocked when they came to know that the approvals are fake after they submitted applications to NUDA and Corporation to construct buildings recently.
According to Mr Bapi Reddy, the promoters of these layouts appear to have approached some middlemen to obtain approvals from the DTCP and they provided them the same by creating fake stamps and forged the signatures of the authorities concerned. In a similar manner, some people have secured Panchayat approvals too.
The fake approvals dating back to 2015 (before NUDA was formed) came to light when the Civic body and NUDA officials cross checked them with the records of Directorate of Town and Country Planning.
The promoters, who secured fake layouts, whether knowingly or unknowingly tried to bring pressure on the officials concerned, arguing that the layouts were legitimate but retreated after the former made it clear that they will file cases against them.
In fact, most of them did not even register 10 per cent of vacant land to the local bodies though it is mandatory.
Mr Bapi Reddy said that they have decided to give wide publicity for do’s and don’ts while buying plots or flats to protect the people from falling prey to the promoters of unapproved layouts.
