A team of officials led by Eapen Varghese, Chief Town Planner (Vigilance) of the Vigilance wing of the Local Self- Government Department (LSGD), has detected building rule violations in 50 per cent high-rise buildings in the city.
The team inspected the construction sites on Thursday and Friday following allegations that some of them had violated rules. The officials inspected 25 sites with five or more storey-buildings or above 5,000 sq m.
An official said a preliminary probe had revealed that rules had been violated in the completed buildings as well as some apartments under construction. Further investigation would be conducted in the coming days.
He said the inspection had been carried out at the sites of buildings that had obtained the licence from the City Corporation between 2008 and 2012. Files pertaining to permits given to the buildings had been called for from the civic body. As of now, the Corporation had submitted 15 files. Any conclusion on the allegations could be made only after verifying the issuance of building permits.
A majority of the violations related to open spaces and parking in high-rise buildings, the officials said.
Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamkuzhi Ali ordered a probe after Corporation Anti-corruption Campaign Committee convener K.P. Vijayakumar submitted a petition seeking a probe into the irregularities in the issue of building permits in city limits. Subsequently, the Vigilance wing of the LSGD launched an investigation into the unauthorised construction and alleged irregularities in granting building permits in the Corporation limits between 2005 and 2012. It has been asked to submit the final report in a month's time.
Complaints had been received against various buildings and apartment complexes in the city in the last few years. A week ago the Vigilance court had received a complaint against a building in Nellikode. The Anti- Corruption Campaign Committee had petitioned the investigating officers to inquire about the 10 controversial buildings, including a 40-storey building, the construction of which is undergoing in Karapparamba.
The Vigilance team will examine if the building owners had followed all procedures and norms for obtaining the permits and if they had followed the construction regulations. If any anomalies are found, the team would recommend action against the officers concerned also.
