The Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) on Wednesday decided to commence work on identifying authorised and unauthorised buildings in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas.
On completion of the study in two months, statutory regulations will be in place and violations of CRZ norms in localities in the Chennai metropolitan area will be under the scanner by April.
At a meeting held by various civic bodies and the department of environment, the CMDA was entrusted with the task of compiling data on structures violating CRZ norms in the metropolitan area. The Chennai Corporation has also asked its zonal officials to commence survey of authorised and unauthorised buildings in CRZ areas in their zones.
The assistant executive engineers of the Chennai Corporation will identify such buildings constructed after 1991 in CRZ-II and CRZ-III. Some of the buildings to be screened are within 100 metres on either side of the Buckingham canal in the entire metropolitan area.
The civic body will also screen buildings within 100 metres of Cooum River from the river mouth to Chetpet bridge and within 100 metres of Adyar river from its mouth to Maraimalai Adigal bridge in Saidapet.
A 500-metre coastal strip extending over 55 km between Ennore in the north and Uthandi in the south, most of which is under CRZ-II, is also under the scanner.
The Tamil Nadu state coastal zone management authority had recently given CRZ clearance for redevelopment projects such as the one at Foreshore Estate to be undertaken by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board. The CRZ clearance will facilitate planning permission for the 2800 dwelling units proposed to be constructed in the area.
The project was cleared as it is on the landward side of a road that existed before 1991. Similarly, many multi-storied buildings have been constructed after 1991.
All such structures and ordinary buildings are likely to be screened in two months.
According to the CRZ notification dated January 6, 2011, by the ministry of environment and forests, any development or redevelopment in CRZ-II, which includes Besant Nagar, Foreshore Estate, Kathivakkam and Kasimedu, shall continue to be undertaken in accordance with the norms laid down in the Town and Country Planning Regulations of February 19, 1991.
The buildings will have to realise FSI according to the provisions of the first master plan. Norms of development according to the second master plan will not be applicable in CRZ-II that includes developed areas within 500 metre from the shore. CRZ-III covers a 500-metre stretch of beach areas from Injambakkam to Uthandi that have been relatively undisturbed. Normally, developments are not allowed in CRZ-III. But ‘recreation-based activities’ are permitted beyond 200 metre from the coast in CRZ-III.
All structures in these areas will be regulated after April.
