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Prominent city mall gets evacuation notice

Ramya Kannan and Sandhya Soman

UNDER THE SCANNER: The Chennai Citi Centre on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai. — File photo: M. Karunakaran

Ramya Kannan and

Sandhya Soman

CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has ordered evacuation of the Chennai Citi Centre, a popular shopping mall on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai.

In a communique (Letter No: E81/12877/2004) sent to Chennai City Centre Holding and all the occupants, the CMDA requested them "to discontinue the occupation of these premises enabling the Authority to carry out the demolition." Sources in the CMDA confirmed that the letter had been sent along with "hundreds of other orders" to demolish unauthorised constructions in Chennai. The notice was issued on February 22.

The planning permit approved on April 15, 2004 authorised construction of a double basement floor, ground and six floors of the commercial complex and a sub-station building at the site. However, during construction deviations were made, according to the letter. A notice was sent to Chennai Citi Centre in October last along with a communique for the forfeiture of Rs. 35 lakh paid by the promoters as security deposit. When the CMDA followed this up with an inspection in February this year, they found the promoters had not acted on the October notice.

Fresh deviations

Subsequently, fresh deviations, including conversion of a portion of the parking lot for commercial use and building of an extra floor to accommodate a food court, were detected.

A.K. Abdullah, director, Citi Centre, responding to queries said the management would take all possible remedial measures within the framework of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 under which the notice was issued.

CMDA officials said the next step would be to disconnect water and electricity connections for the complex.

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