Chennai Corporation to bar contractors who drag projects

K Ramanathan

Chennai: Delay in completing infrastructure projects by private contractors in Chennai will become a thing of the past as the Corporation in a recent stricture made them liable for delays in completion of works and even threatened to blacklist them if the works drag on for more than three months from the scheduled date of completion.

Accordingly, the Chennai Corporation has included a separate clause in the tender for any future projects.  “The civic body has made provisions in the tender that a contractor who delays work for more than three months will be blacklisted and will not be given any further contracts,” Chennai Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy announced.

Welcoming the move, property consultants, builders and residents opined that such move will strengthen the infrastructure status of the city. A few also pointed out the importance of maintaining quality in civic works being carried out in many parts of the city.

“The planning of storm water drains should be streamlined as in many areas residents let sewage into these drains. The quality of blue metal toppings on roads is another source of concern. We can’t lay a road every year as it will, not only put pressure on state’s exchequer, but also increase the height of the roads and make houses on both sides vulnerable to water logging. Milling is not being followed to relay roads. We have to improve the drainage facility also keeping in mind the needs of the residents. Officials should regularly inspect the project sites to ascertain the quality of construction by private contractors,” said Mohan Ram, a property consultant and retired civil engineer from CMDA.

At a recent Council meeting convened by the Chennai Corporation, the Mayor told the members that many contractors were delaying road works. “Delays of seven to eight months have been reported in several areas. Henceforth, contractors will only get three months more to complete their designated road works. The defaulters will be penalized for the delay,” he averred.

As a warning to other habitual defaulters, the civic body has blacklisted a contractor who failed to complete work on storm water drains connecting Chetpet Lake and Cooum River. The delay was for more than two years which has affected the monsoon preparedness of the city.

As on February 2014, the Corporation had issued work orders for 5,146 bituminous roads costing Rs 748.66 crore and 794 cement concrete roads worth Rs 116.90 crore.

However, in a setback to city’s infrastructure plans, Tamil Nadu Power Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TUFIDCO), the agency that provides funds for civic works across the city, has decided to release only half of the funds needed for the road projects.  

According to sources, the agency would only release Rs 432.78 crore for projects. Official sources said that lack of funds has forced the civic body to drop a few road work plans. But, a Corporation official requesting anonymity said they would use the funds from Chennai mega city development mission to complete all road projects.

Buildings without RWH in Chennai are in for trouble

K Ramanathan

 

The Chennai Corporation is all set to make it tough for buildings without Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) structures. Fearing water scarcity, which may haunt the city in the coming days due to inadequate rainfall, the Corporation has decided tighten its grip on new buildings and also the existing ones, which do not have RWH facility.

To make it compulsory on new buildings coming up across the city, the top municipal body has instructed departments concerned to issue plan approvals after verifying the presence of such facility. According to experts, the move is seen as a step towards replenishing ground water level across the city.

To implement the system within the city limits, the corporation has instructed its zonal executive engineers who will check the existing buildings whether they have RWH structure. 

“Action will be initiated against owner or occupier of a building if he or she does not comply with the order by providing RWH structures,” said an official.

Welcoming the move, Suresh Menon, President, resident welfare association of Opal Flats in Nerkundram, said, “We are already facing water problem in our flat. People around the neighbourhood have started putting bore wells and this trend should be streamlined. Authorities concerned should initiate proceedings on those who put bore wells without permission. Earlier, they used to go down up to 70-80 feet, but now they are putting bore up to 120-130 feet to get water. It is a commendable move by the government to implement RWH facility at homes. This will help to recharge the ground water and will also come handy at the time of water crisis.”

To make it tough on violators, the top civic body will revoke their building plan approval and recommend metro water department to disconnect the water supply connection to the building.

“A circular has also been issued to various zonal offices in Chennai asking officials not to give permission to cut the road to avail the metro water connections until the building has RWH facility,” said the official, adding, “We have also instructed them to provide sewage and EB connection on showing this structure.”

Not only for residential buildings, the civic body has also decided to implement the norm for commercial buildings. Those commercial buildings, which do not have this facility, will have to face strictures from the civic body. The civic body has also facilitated rainwater harvesting in its buildings, parks and playgrounds to conserve water.

On the cost factor to have RWH facility at home, an expert from the water department said, “It doesn’t cost much. For an individual home having 800 sq ft space, it may cost between Rs 5000-Rs10,000. The cost would vary depending upon the number of pipe connections to the recharge pit.”

The RWH movement was first launched in the state in 2001. It has had a tremendous impact in recharging the groundwater table all over Tamil Nadu. Amendments made to Section 215 (a) of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 and Building Rules 1973, have made it mandatory to provide RWH structures in all new buildings.

Now, home furniture from recycled paper!

Chennai: ‘Recycle’ is the buzz word now-a-days. When the City Corporation is going full throttle to reuse waste plastics for constructing roads, here is a company that has come out with a unique way of using waste paper – for home furniture.

City-based Honicel India is planning precisely that with its honeycomb products. The company's Rs 60-crore, 9,000-tonne factory went on stream on Tuesday.

"In the packaging industry, our product will be used for making pallets, container packing, pharma, food and automobile industries. In the construction sector, our product will go as an in-fill material for doors, furniture and others," T E Giridhar Raj, director of the firm told reporters here, adding, "This fiscal, we hope to do a turnover of Rs.300 crore. Sixty percent of our business will be from the packaging industry and balance from construction and furniture sector."

The 25,000 sq.ft. facility in Chennai to produce the Honicel core material, along with an adjacent 28,000 sq.ft. facility to assemble packaging material, and two other packaging assembly units in Bangalore and Hyderabad, have all been set up at an investment of Rs. 60 crore for the first year, said Raj.

Honicel India is a 60:40 joint venture between the Netherlands-based Honicel group and Ethiraj Timbers.

Raj said the pallets made of Honicel sheets are eco-friendly replacement for plywood, medium density fibre boards, particle boards, solid woods and corrugated boards, an IANS report said.

“The product is recyclable as well as biodegradable. Our product is made of recycled paper. The source of raw material for the Indian plant will be a mix of local as well as importe Honiceld recycled paper,” Henk Krabben, president and CEO of Honicel Worldwide, said.

He said doors, tables and other furniture items could be made with his product as in-fill material without compromising on the strength and durability.

Raj said a door manufacturer can reduce his cost by 35 percent using our material between two outer sheets and the savings could be passed on to the end customer.

Honicel is world-market leader in the production and application of Honicel paper-honeycomb. The market range covers from the Scandinavian countries up to South-Africa and from America up to Australia, New-Zealand and the Far East.

Property Tax may be hiked in Chennai

Chennai: It seems the Tamil Nadu government has it plan cut out to ‘tax’ people more in the coming days. After effecting steep increase in milk prices, bus fare and electricity charges, Chennaiites would wake up to yet another hike soon. If the City Corporation has its way, a hike in property tax to fund its various infrastructure projects would become a reality in next week’s Budget.

Taxing indeed!

According to certain section of the media, an increase in property tax along with allocation of additional fund for infrastructure development in expanded areas of the corporation and strengthening government-run educational institutions would top the agenda of the Corporation’s budget for 2012-13, which is likely to be presented on Monday.

Facing large-scale tax evasions by commercial buildings, the civic body began a survey to re-asses the commercial and residential buildings but it still doesn't have precise data on the tax collected from commercial buildings.

Property tax is the main source of income for the corporation, contributing Rs 365 crore in the last fiscal out of the total income of Rs 489 crore. A similar special drive in 2007 found that Rs 270 crore was being evaded by property owners since 2001.

The budget will be presented by Chairman of the standing committee on taxation and finance K Santhanam while Major Saidai S Duraisamy will make the opening remarks, said the report.

IT and MNCs to be taxed

Earlier, the Corporation has indicated that it would tax more on IT and multi-national companies, as it felt that they are making more profits than the local grocery stores - both come under the same tax bracket. 

Now, the budget is round the corner, these multi-national and IT firms in the city may have to shell out a higher amount as property tax from the next financial year. "How can a multi-national company and a local store pay the same rate for one square foot?" said Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy at a recent council meeting.

The taxes were last raised in 1998. A revamp in the gradation system and tax slabs is likely, TOI quoting an official having said.

"We are going to meet and discuss changes in the classification of buildings. IT parks and MNCs may be brought under a special category or a separate slab could be created for them," said a revenue officer. Corporation sources said it might require an amendment to the Corporation Council Act, but that it was subject to government approval. Presently, there are different tax slabs for commercial and residential properties and a separate slab for special commercial buildings. 

"Special commercial buildings, including movie theatres, marriage halls, lodges, hotels and restaurants, pay higher tax than normal commercial buildings," said the official.