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The Madurai City Licensed Builders' and City Developers' Welfare Association is urging the Madurai Corporation to expedite building plan approvals and plot regularisation processes, as a backlog of applications has been growing for over 40 days. The delay is causing significant inconvenience to builders, construction workers, and those looking to start new projects in the area.
Corporation rules dictate that for plots under 1,500 square feet, building plan approval and plot regularisation documents can be processed at the respective zonal office. However, for larger plots, applications must be approved by the town planning officer at the corporation office. Due to the town planning officer's medical leave, around 100 applications are currently pending approval, according to association members.
A R Sakthi Kumar, the treasurer of the builder’s association, emphasized that this delay has led to stagnation in new construction projects, which in turn has negatively impacted the construction sector in Madurai. The livelihood of construction workers is also affected by this issue, as many of them rely on these projects for steady employment.
Association secretary S Jambulingam highlighted that although the Madurai corporation introduced an online building plan approval system in 2017, single plot regularisation still requires offline document submission. The association has suggested that the corporation upload approved plot layouts and regularisation documents online to increase transparency and streamline the process.
In addition to these concerns, the association has requested that the corporation allow zonal offices to handle building plan approval and plot regularisation documents for plots up to 5,000 square feet. This change would help reduce the workload at the corporation office and expedite the approval process for a larger number of projects. The petition outlining these demands was submitted to the mayor and corporation commissioner.
The construction industry in Madurai, like many cities, has faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This backlog of building plan approvals has further exacerbated these struggles, resulting in lost income for builders, developers, and workers. Addressing the backlog is essential for the recovery of the construction sector and the broader economy in Madurai.
In response to these concerns, a senior corporation official explained that a new official had been appointed to oversee the town planning department ten days ago, and the backlog will soon be addressed. The official attributed the delay to the lack of a suitable alternative official during the town planning officer's absence.
The official also assured the association that the corporation is actively considering their suggestions for improving the approval process, including allowing zonal offices to handle approvals for larger plots and implementing a fully online system for regularisations. These changes could help prevent similar backlogs in the future and support the construction
The Madurai corporation is taking steps to address the backlog of building plan approvals and plot regularisations, including the appointment of a new official to the town planning department. Implementing the suggested changes, such as allowing zonal offices to handle approvals for larger plots and moving to a fully online system for regularisations, will be crucial in alleviating the strain on the construction sector and improving the livelihoods of affected workers.
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