‘Unauthorised’ building at Srirangam sealed

Corporation officials take action after evicting eight families

The private building on West Chithirai Street that was sealed by authorities on Monday. Photo: A. Muralitharan

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation authorities on Monday sealed a private building in West Chithirai Street in Srirangam after evicting eight families alleging that it was an unauthorised construction. The building, named “Kalyan Sadan”, was functioning as Salem Sevvaipettai Marriage Hall for about three decades.

Since the marriage hall, which too did not have a licence and lacked hygienic facilities, a group of families who were enjoying the property demolished the marriage hall and constructed a new building.

“The corporation issued notices only during the course of the construction but did not initiate any serious action. The corporation’s action of serving the notice for vacating the premises on June 28 (on Friday) has puzzled us,” says G. Rengarajan and D. Shanthy Rajan from the affected families, who immediately submitted a petition to Jayashree Muralidharan, District Collector, at the weekly grievances day meeting.

‘Ulterior motive’

In their petition, they said there were scores of buildings in Srirangam and the question of their ownership was a ‘prolonged’ issued which had been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

“While the problem was applicable to a number of buildings in Srirangam, the corporation’s action in targeting this building alone was based on some ulterior motive,” the petition said and the petitioners pleaded for repeal of the corporation’s order.

A team of corporation officials, along with police personnel, sealed the premises at about 7.15 a.m. after ordering the residents to vacate the premises.