290 illegal layouts found in Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Jan 1, 2013: Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda) would shortly launch a crackdown on unauthorised and illegal layouts being developed by realtors under Visakhapatanam Metropolitan Region (VMR) . Vuda office would be initiating stringent action as per provisions of AP Urban (Areas) Development Act 1975 against firms and individuals involved in developing such layouts.

Section 13 and 14 of the AP Urban (Areas) development Act 1975 specifies that Vuda is the competent authority to issue layout permissions in its area covering Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts.

Local bodies, including the GVMC have no authority to sanction layout permissions and hence prior permissions from Vuda are necessary to sub divide land in the name of layout. Layouts possessing Layout Plan (LP) number alone will have legal validity for transaction of sale and purchase of plots in the layouts. Vuda had identified around 290 such unauthorised and illegal layouts being developed in Vizag, 87 in Vizianagaram and 20 in Srikakulam districts.

“We will soon put the details of these layouts and its developers on the websites for the benefit of public so that they won’t be duped. There will not be any legal validity on the transactions of the plots developed in such layouts,” said Vuda vice-chairman, Kona Sasidhar.

Vuda planning department staff with the support of panchayats secretaries and district panchayats officers has identified these illegal layouts. Vuda in October issued notices to around four firms including Bommarillu Farms and Villas India Ltd., for development and marketing a layout by name Kotha Bangaru Lokam in about 15 acres in Survey No.s 23 and 24 of J Kumaram village of S.Kota mandal in Vizianagaram district.
Similarly, Grandeur City (building blocks) coming up in Survey No.s 204, 205, 206, 213 and 216 of Dallipeta of Gudupuvalasa revenue village in Bhogapuram mandal was also issued notice.

As per the Section 41 of the Act any person who undertakes development of any land in contravention of the Master Plan or Zonal Development Plan of without permission, referred in Section 13 of AP Urban (Areas) development Act 1975 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend upto 20 per cent of the value of the land in question as fixed by the registration department at the time of developing the land.