Officials from the Town Planning Department of Coimbatore Corporation conducted a survey across the city last year and found that more than 3,000 buildings violated the building plan approval norms.
According to the data available from the Corporation, as many as 5,719 buildings were under-assessed and 3,168 buildings were non-assessed. Nearly, 3,246 buildings got their plan approval in the residential category and were using the premises for commercial purposes.
The number of non-assessed buildings was high in the north zone. Buildings constructed more than the approved area or extended their premises were classified as under assessment which was more on north, west, and south zones. The number of residential buildings using their premises for commercial activities was high in the central and west zone.
These irregularities came to light when the town planning officials of the civic body decided to go door-to-door to check the assessments. By regularising these 12,133 assessments, the civic body would get an additional tax revenue of approximately ₹ 14.38 crore.
Asked about the presence of many non-assessments in the north, west, and south zones, Corporation Commissioner M. Prathap said many areas in these zones were a part of either town panchayats or panchayats and were added to the Corporation limits later.
He said the objective of the drive was to address the loopholes and to increase the property tax base, which would generate more revenue for the civic body. The Corporation issued notices to these buildings for violation of norms and the drive would continue this year as well, he added.
Published - February 05, 2023 05:49 pm IST
