HC order may lead to Cresta building demolition
The Madras high court ruled against the government’s regularisation drive. The order is expected to lead to complete demolition of the commercial complex Vigneswar Cresta at Lakshmi Mills junction in the city. After the order, the Local Planning Authority (LPA) and Coimbatore Municipal Corporation had initiated measures to demolish the illegal floors of the building. The cost recovery of the demolition exercise however became a bone of contention between the two agencies.
Meanwhile, the building owners had moved the petition to regularise the ground plus first floor of the building, which were part of the initial approved building plan. A fire incident broke in the building some time back and the city police had failed to arrest the building owner. They, however, arrested the manager of a private firm where the fire reportedly originated and also the maintenance supervisor of the building. The owner of the building, D Adhithya who resided at Pricol Saffron Summers in Redfields at the time of fire accident is still absconding.
The Local Planning Authority sources said, “The building owner had petitioned to regularise the first and ground floor of the building under the government scheme. But now it will not be possible.” The Madras high court had categorically slammed the government on the regularisation move. The move allowed building rule violators to escape penalty and punishment for wilful violation of existing rules.
For the building in question, the Local Planning Authority had approved building plan for basement plus ground and first floor structure for D Rajesh, a resident of Siddhapudhur in December 1999. It was only after the fire mishap that the authorities woke up and the issue regarding additional illegal floors being constructed was brought to notice. There were gross deviations noted from the approved building plan. The official further added, “One of the main reasons for the deaths in the fire was the fact that the stairway on the eastern side was changed and made into a dingy single stairway in the centre of the building with inadequate space.”
Source: The Times of India
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