Revoke 200 pc hike in plan approval fee: EPS

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday hit out at the state for destroying the dream of the middle class to build their own houses by increasing the charges for obtaining building plan approvals drastically.

Palaniswami, in a statement, charged that the state government has increased the charges for building plan approvals by 200 per cent. This would turn the dreams of the middle class families into a mirage. In the name of issuing approval in a hassle-free manner, the government has hiked the fee for the building approval plan.

“I strongly condemn the DMK government for destroying the dreams of the common man to build a house of their own. This exposes the incompetence of the present dispensation,” he said in the statement.

Pointing to the GO regarding the instant online approval for building plans, EPS said that the government had increased the fee from Rs 46,000 to Rs 1 lakh for obtaining building plan approval for constructing houses in 1,000 sq ft in Chennai. Similarly, the state had increased the fee for building approval from Rs 42,000 to Rs 88,000 for 1,000 sq ft in Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirupur limits, while the fee went up from Rs 30,000 to 84,000 in Tiruchy, Salem and Tambaram corporation limits.

He demanded immediate revoking of the GO.