Corporation reclaims OSR lands worth Rs 50 cr

SOURCE :TNN, Sep 9, 2010, 12.38am IST

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corpoporation on Wednesday took over 23 grounds of land reserved for open spaces in two major IT parks in Guindy. The current market price of the land reclaimed by the corporation is Rs 50 crore.




Mayor M Subramanian, who represents area in the elected council, led a team of officials in establishing the ownership rights of the lands at Olympia Tech Park and Thamarai Tech Park on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai and SIDCO Street respectively in Guindy. Notice boards proclaiming the Chennai Corporation's rights over the lands were installed on the sites.



"The 23 grounds of land will soon be put to public use by providing access to people, raising compound walls, creating walkways, adequate seaters and fountains," the mayor said.



As per development control rules, 10% of any property over 10,000 sq m in area that is developed will have to be reserved as open space. The gift deeds will have to be handed over to the Chennai Corporation through the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. "The local body will reclaim all open space reservation lands in the city within a month. There are around 700 grounds worth Rs 1,500 crore," Subramanian said.



In a bid to reclaim more OSR lands, the local body has targetted 96 multi-storeyed buildings that were given building permits recently. Vigilance personnel have been entrusted the task of identifying the lands that are scattered across the city.



In the past two years, 76 OSR lands have been reclaimed by the civic officials, including 16 during the month of July alone. In the last four years alone, the corporation is said to have taken over encroached and OSR lands worth Rs 3,000 crore.