Drive to recover 58 community halls

Encroached by cronies of former MLAs and elected representatives for years

The community hall at Kalikambal Nagar, Thengaithittu, in Puducherry was opened in 2009.— Photo: T. Singaravelou

In an effort to recover all its properties, the Puducherry Municipality has launched a major drive to reclaim 58 community halls worth several crore of rupees which have been encroached upon by cronies of former MLAs and elected representatives for several years.

Officials have of late been visiting such community halls and recovering the property from the unauthorised persons who were hitherto enjoying the proceeds from renting out such public utilities.

A top official of the municipality told

The Hindu , “All these halls were built nearly 10 to 15 years ago under either the MLA and MP area development fund for purely public purpose. During our drive, we found that as soon as the building was inaugurated, the keys were entrusted to politically connected persons. Such persons were pocketing the income proceeds by renting out these public premises. Literally they became de jure owners of the properties.”

In one case, the officials visited a community hall at Muthiyalpet which was occupied by an individual under the guise of a self-help group. When the officials asked him to surrender the keys of the property, he put up a stiff resistance. Only after he was warned of criminal action by an official, he parted with the keys.

The official said, “In the particular case, the building was constructed on a plot of 2000 square feet nearly 12 years ago. After the inauguration, the hall was handed over to the person who is close to an elected representative . The rent collected by such unauthorised person never comes to the municipality’s exchequer.”

In a similar manner, a community hall near Akka Swami Temple was used by a cycle shop owner.

He agreed to hand over the keys only after the officials attempted to break open the premises. At Kalikambal Nagar, Thengaithittu, the community hall, one of largest halls in the limits was controlled by persons who are close to the former councillor of the area.

The hall located on a 20,000 square feet was constructed under MP and MLA Area Development and opened in February 2009. Since then, the building has never been used for the avowed purpose. However, it was used as a polling booth.

S.Damodharan, a resident of the area said, “The building was controlled by a political functionary whose father once came to the campus and took away a large iron grill gate to his house. Since then, the building became a haven for anti-social elements. .”

Officials said keys were recovered and the building was brought under the control of the municipality. Several buildings are in a dilapidated condition due to poor maintenance by encroachers.

The municipality authorities also plan to reclaim all the community halls and spruce them up to enable the public to use them.