The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has ordered the demolition of the helipad on the terrace of the soon-to-be-opened ITC Grand Chola Hotel in Guindy. It was the first helipad in the city to be constructed atop a building but the plan was not approved by the CMDA.
The hotel is now demolishing the state-of-the-art helipad to obtain completion certificate from the CMDA. The certificate, which can be issued only when a building does not flout norms laid down by the government, is required for other licences to be obtained by the hotel.
The hotel management has assured that they would comply with the CMDA directive, a senior CMDA official said. The hotel, which is the largest in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, is likely to be inaugurated next month. The multi-storeyed building (MSB) panel of the CMDA had rejected a revised proposal by the hotel for construction of the helipad a few months ago.
The hotel had initially sought planning permission without helipad and also handed over 10 per cent of around eight acres land to the CMDA as part of the Open Space Reservation. The OSR land was taken over by the Chennai Corporation last year.
After engineers of the Chennai Corporation and officials of Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services on the MSB panel raised objections to the helipad, the hotel resubmitted the plan without showing the helipad, the CMDA official said. As the inauguration drew near, CMDA officials started persuading hotel authorities to demolish the structures that comprised the helipad.
Before the inspection for the process of issuing the completion certificate takes place, the hotel is likely to remove all additions objected to by the MSB panel in the 49-metre high building, the CMDA official added. The officials on the panel had stressed the need for a proper study on the impact of helipad on urban landscape.
Keywords: CMDA, ITC Hotel, helipad plans, ITC Grand Chola Hotel
in continuation with my prev comment, yet to publish and with respect to some I already see here hailing the CMDA's ability to take strict action - I can only laugh. atleast more than 50% of commercial buildings in chennai have flouted norms, many in T Nagar have least respect for fire and other safety. So please fix those first. Get the Public play grounds which have been encroached - show your commitment in those and dont be hurdle to development.
Helipads in the heart of the city to add to the risk of already
endangered skyline of the city? kudos to CMDA for its unbiased and wise
action, but if only the roads in the metropolis were user-friendly!
Dear all,
if you want to know the exact meaning for the phrase 'GO GREEN' just visit itc website, its the first hotel chain in india to get the LEED Platinum certification. (leadership in energy and environmental design).
think twice before commenting anything...
Kudos to the MSB for taking strict action. Seldom are such issues coming to light nowadays in a highly corruptem system. Go Green !!
The construction of helipad by the ITC Gran Chola Hotel without the permission of the CMDA chennai if it is true, is not only a violation of the rule of law but wastage of costly materials and wastage of labour and money.They should not only be directed to demolise the helipad but to be punished for wasting national resources and labour which could be better utilised.
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