CDP rocks MCC meet again

Rs 50 lakh per ward to develop roads in city limits, says Commissioner

Opposition member Naveen D’Souza said that changes should be made to CDP to enable the weaker sections of the society to construct houses in the City.

“Why people need to get approval from the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to construct a house in the City when MCC has a town planning section,” he questioned and suggested that approval from MUDA should be made mandatory only for high rise buildings and commercial complex.

Backing D’Souza, another Opposition member Harinath said, “earlier building licences were issued to the applicants within a week, but with the introduction of CDP, people have to wait for months to get approval from the MUDA.”

Meanwhile, Independent member Mariamma Thomas pointed out that the MUDA has only three persons including a town planning officer, the Commissioner and town planning member to verify building licence applications of 60 wards in the City.

“Either the government should appoint more officials or the responsibilities should be handed over back to the MCC. It is unfortunate that people in Neermarga and Bajpe Gram Panchayats, which are close to Mangalore, were given licence to build houses, but the people in the City were forced to wait for months for the same,” she added.

Clarifying the issue, MCC Commissioner Dr K N Vijayaprakash said that a high power committee led by former Chief Secretary A Raveendra is looking into the shortcomings in the CDP.
“We have sent an eight-point suggestions seeking changes in the CDP, which will be discussed in the next meeting of the Committee,” he added.

“The town planning section of the MCC should send all building licence applications to MUDA as there is a standing instruction from the government in this regard. As per the government direction, only an officer above the deputy director’s grade can verify and issue building lincence in cities.

Hence, the MCC has no powers to issue building licence, but we have appealed the high power committee to relax the rules and give powers to MCC so that licence can be issued to at least small houses and buildings in the City,” Vijayaprakash said.

‘Member from CPI(M) Jayanthi complained that the MCC is not providing door numbers to houses in Tannirbavi and Bengre despite submitting several memorandum.

MCC Revenue Officer Meghana clarifying the issue said that the area belongs to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). “We have already sent a letter to the district administration and a decision can be taken based on the reply of the Deputy Commissioner only” the officer added.

Bad roads

Members in the opposition took officials to task for not taking initiatives to fill potholes and repair bad roads.

However, Vijayaprakash said, “we cannot blame officials for the pathetic condition of roads. Repair work could not be taken up since rains continued to lash even in November.”

In Mangalore City, the total length of roads is 799 kms. A total of Rs 25 lakh will be sanctioned to each ward from the Rs 100 crore sanctioned by the State government.

In addition, a total of Rs 10 lakh each will be released as interim sanction, he said adding that the corporators’ development fund Rs 15 lakh can also be utilised for the road repair.

Rs 70 lakh has been earmarked to fill potholes in the City, he said adding that tenders have already been invited