Illegal high-rises face RDA heat

Post News Network

Rourkela, Dec 2: Rourkela Development Authority (RDA), in a bid to check illegal constructions in the city, has started taking stern action against those who have flouted the norms.

RDA sources said, 47 high-rises, which were found to have violated the rules, have been identified. Cases have been registered against 17 persons in this connection, while notices were served on some of them. The next course of action would be decided after getting their responses, RDA secretary and additional district magistrate of Rourkela, K Sudarshan Chakraborty, said Monday.

Reports said most of the businessmen, hoteliers and industrialists, to augment their income, have constructed up to the sixth floor, when they were given permission to construct up to the third floor. Some of them were even found to have not followed the basic norms of the development authorities such as keeping enough vacant spaces in front and rear ends of tall buildings, plantation on 20 per cent land surrounding the structure, and proper parking space, among other mandatory building requirements. None of these norms were followed by owners of the multi-storied buildings. Authorities said that due to flouting of norms, there was possibility of mishaps in future. Besides, the ecological balance of the area could also get disturbed, they said.

High-rises have come up in Uditnagar, Civil Township, Rourkela main market, Kachery Road, Civil Township bypass road, Station Square and daily market areas.

The buildings which were reported to have flouted the norms are Hotel Shuvam and Santosh near railway station, Indira Plaza and Indira’s on the main road of the city, Turtle Showroom, Siridi Sai Medical Store, Ashok Jewellary near Razzak Cinema and the building of Suman Agrawal in front of Haryana Bhawan.

Similarly, Trupti Electrical and Orissa Medical at daily market, Ghar Sansar Mart on Kachery Road, Dominos Pizza, old Canara Bank building at Uditnagar, Sai Palace in Panposh and the Honda showroom on Panposh Road, too, have been included in the list of violators.

Earlier, the RDA had registered a case against the building of Ram Avtar Sharma of Uditnagar in 2009 and the matter is sub-judice. RDA’s action against these illegal buildings are eagerly awaited, citizens said.