Corporation seeks additional powers

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation has urged Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to delegate powers to it so that it can issue Development Rights Certificate under Transferable Development Rights (TDR).Sources told Express that Chennai Corporation has passed a resolution seeking powers to issue the certificate and transfer acquired land to Chennai Corporation. As per the TDR, the government would reimburse a person whose land is acquired for a government project with a development rights certificate, which will give him the right to shift the development rights of that land to any other property within the CMDA limits. Both the owners of the land as well as the government gains through the scheme.However, CMDA sources said that the delegation of powers to issue development rights certificate to Corporation is not feasible as it will result in lack of accountability as multiple entities will be providing the certificate.Citing example of Mumbai slum land irregularities, the sources said it happened as Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority gave the powers to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharahstra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), resulting in lack of proper records.Sources said development rights certificate is for multiple utilization as such only a single entity should have the power to issue it. “It should be handled by one office so that it could be controlled. Currently, all the entries are computerised and one doesn’t know whether the Corporation will be following such procedure,” sources said.Interestingly, plans are on to make the development rights certificate a fool-proof one by implementing new technology, sources added.