THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAGI) report has rapped the City Corporation for extending the cut-off date for regularising unauthorised constructions. It pointed out that this may prompt the public to embark on unlawful construction believing that the government will regularise them later.
Constructions violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act near Akkulam and beaches in the district found mention in the report. Also, lack of action against unauthorised highrise buildings that can affect air traffic also found mention in the report. The report pointed out that the city Corporation had issued a permit to the Heera Lakefront project for construction of a 21-floor building close to the Veli tidal inlet on the banks of Veli Lake.
Two other projects namely Heera blue waters and Heera Homes have been accused of reclamation of backwater land that was classified as No development area under CRZ zone III. The Corporation Secretary had not taken action against land development and construction, the report said.
The city corporation had issued a permit to the Heera Lakefront project (top left) close to the Veli tidal inlet.
Similarly, illegal constructions around Vizhinjam and Kovalam found mention in the CAG report. The Corporation has been rapped for delays in delivering notices and follow-up action on specific constructions by Beach Hotel and Sagara Beach resort. Vigilance squads had reported around 1300 illegal constructions in Vizhinjam-Kovalam circuit and most of them operated as resorts and home stays.
It failed to prevent construction of the 12-storey Hotel Windsor Rajadhani (top) building, even as floors 9 to 12 were found illegal earlier.
The report said that the Government had no powers to regularise the construction of the Secretariat Annexe II building as it violated the detailed town planning scheme for the area. It also compromised safety and security provisions. The Corporation was pulled up for failing to prevent construction of the 12-storey Hotel Windsor Rajadhani building. The floors from 9th to 12th were found illegal earlier.
The height of around half a dozen buildings near Thiruvananthapuram airport were found taller than the permissible height limit laid down by the Government of India under the Airport Act. Also the Corporation had issued permits to many buildings here that had not secured an NOC from the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the report said.
