Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Demolition: traders search for ways out

K.V. Prasad

Civic administration firm on dealing with rules violations

COIMBATORE: The demolition of two unauthorised floors of a commercial building on Cross-Cut Road that began on Saturday seems to have set the traders in the city's major commercial areas on a search for ways to avoid such an action through some form of atonement.

Though not open in expressing resentment and despair, the traders feel that demolition of existing structures is going to be too painful and that preventing such constructions from now will be a better option.

Officials, however, are of the firm belief that a few demolitions are needed to prevent further violations.

A group of traders are said to have appealed to District Collector Neeraj Mittal on Saturday evening for some respite.

But, the Collector is said to have told them that violations cannot be condoned.

Official sources in the Corporation also say that stringent action has to be taken at least now.

One of the Corporation officials who supervised the demolition says many buildings have not provided the mandatory space - 20 per cent of the total structure - for parking.

For instance, shopping complexes measuring nearly 50,000 sq.ft. has provided space for only 10-15 small cars. Owners of some buildings have provided lots in adjacent sites.

In a memorandum to the Collector on Saturday, the Federation of Tamil Nadu Merchants' Associations has assured him that the traders' will take steps to regularise the unauthorised structures if they are given some time for the process.

It has also said that the demolition has come at a time when business had managed to pick up only over the last three years after the city's economy slumped owing to the serial blasts (on February 14, 1998). Traders also say that demolition should be carried out only if safety norms are not complied with.

A letter meant for the Minister for Local Administration, M.K. Stalin, and sent on behalf of "Coimbatore Corporation Area Commercial and Public Buildings Owners", wants the entire issue to be viewed in a practical manner.

The letter claims that small deviations from approved plans had been resorted to for many years as these had been inevitable.

These have been seen as violations even under existing rules.

But, it is unfortunate that these get adverse publicity in the form of public interest litigations.

A solution can be found only if the Government views the situation from many angles with an open mind.

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