Chennai Corporation Warns Engineers, Surveyors Over Improper Building Permits
The Corporation’s latest warning comes as the state government is also moving towards greater automation of the building approval process
CHENNAI: Almost three months after the mass transfer of long-serving officials in its town planning department, amid complaints over delays and irregularities in building approvals, Greater Chennai Corporation has now turned towards licensed surveyors and registered engineers, warning of action against those who submit improper applications for building permits.
In a hardening of its stand on the building approval process, GCC has told licensed professionals that applications submitted without proper plans and documents, or in violation of prescribed guidelines, will not only be returned for correction but could also invite action if they adopt what the civic body termed an “improper approach”.
The warning came at a meeting convened by Corporation Commissioner, Dr. G.S. Sameeran, with licensed surveyors and registered engineers at Ripon Buildings on Thursday.
The meeting assumes significance as the Corporation seeks to streamline the building approval system that has long faced complaints over delays, repeated scrutiny and allegations of malpractice.
Sameeran said the Corporation had already acted on complaints against officials in the town planning department. “All officials in the town planning department were transferred based on various complaints,” he said, adding that disciplinary action had been initiated.
New officials had subsequently been posted in the department. The Commissioner, however, said delays were also being caused by applications reaching the Corporation without complying with the prescribed norms.
When applications are filed without following the guidelines, they are returned to applicants for corrections, thereby delaying approval, he explained. Licensed surveyors and engineers must, therefore, ensure that building plans and supporting documents are complete and in conformity with the rules, before submitting them.
Sameeran warned that the Corporation will take action against professionals who continued to adopt improper practices despite the directions.
The Corporation’s latest warning comes as the state government is also moving towards greater automation of the building approval process. A universal scrutiny engine is expected to be introduced shortly, which, according to the Commissioner, will make scrutiny and approval considerably simpler.
“Building permission should be as easily accessible to people as services such as ration cards, income certificates, birth certificates and death certificates,” he pointed out, stressing that strict adherence to the guidelines by all stakeholders will help eliminate delays.
