Response still tepid for regularisation scheme

Only 889 applications were received by the authority till December 21, 2018, which was the last date for submitting the applications, according to a Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) official. “The Housing Department released a government order dated December 21 to extend the last date for applying for a further six-month period, up to June 22. After that, we had received only seven applications,” the official said.

He said many building owners approached him seeking clarifications during the last few days before December 21, but refrained from applying after the government released the extension order.

The State government had amended the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, to include section 113-C to collect charges and regularise the buildings constructed with certain deviations.

The scheme was rolled out on June 22, 2017, for six months. However, due to lack of response, the government extended it till December 21, 2017, before giving two more extensions.

Realtors blamed the huge regularisation charges and uncertainty of the scheme on legal grounds as the reasons for not opting for it.

“Though the Madras High Court has allowed us to accept applications and to process them, the court has prohibited us from issuing final regularisation orders. This scheme will be useful for owners of ordinary buildings and they should apply to benefit,” the official said.

There are approximately 1.5 lakh buildings in the Chennai Metropolitan Area that are to be regularised. Building owners outside the Chennai Metropolitan Area should send applications to the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP).

Meanwhile, over seven lakh plot owners across the State had submitted applications to regularise their plots under the recently concluded regularisation of unapproved plots and layouts scheme.