The Chennai Corporation on Wednesday sealed Anna Nagar Towers Club following the club’s failure to hand over property.
The action was initiated after the club ignored a notice to hand over the property in one week.
Corporation officials pointed out that the club was in unauthorised occupation of land and the lease for the building hosting the club had expired 19 years ago.
Towers Club scrambled to prevent sealing of the property on Third Main Road, W-Block, Anna Nagar following news reports of its failure to pay damages fee as per audit reports.
A few days ago, the club paid Rs. 48.85 lakh towards ‘damages fee for use and occupation’ of 33,285 sq. ft. of land belonging to the Chennai Corporation.
Land earmarked for park
The estimate for the damages fee was arrived at as part of audit report in 2005-2006. The land was originally demarcated for creation of a park under a scheme of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board. The civic body is likely to take action to create additional space for the park using the land.
The club had been requesting extension of the lease to 99 years claiming that there were 150 staff members in the 5,872-sq. ft. building under unauthorised occupation. The club noted that it had donated Rs. 3 lakh for Tsunami relief and rehabilitation in 2004 and flooding in 2005. According to Chennai Corporation officials, the government way back in 1995 too did not respond to the request of the club for a 99-year lease.
The members of the 1,700-strong club include a number of influential personalities who had been instrumental in sustaining the illegal occupation for more than two decades.
