Coimbatore Corporation passes resolution to make 10% OSR site allocation mandatory

The resolution needs State government’s approval to be enforced

The Coimbatore Corporation passed a special resolution to make 10% open space reservation (OSR) site allocation in a layout mandatory.

The Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules (TNCDBR), 2019, had given a choice for the promotors to sell the OSR sites after paying the guideline value to the Town and Country Planning Department. This gave leverage for the promotors not to gift the 10% of the layout measuring more than 3,000 to 10,000 sq m, to the local body.

RTI activist S.P. Thiyagarajan said, “in many cases, promotors have circumvented the mandatory clause by paying the guideline value to the government. Because of this, new layouts will not have breathing spaces such as playground and green cover.”

“After paying the guideline value to the government, the promotors of the layout are selling the land at market value, which is on an average five times more,” said Mr. Thiyagarajan, urging the government to intervene and make the 10% OSR allocation in a layout mandatory.

He also added that before 2019, the promotors had to give 10% of the total layout measuring more than 2,500 sq m to the civic body. To enforce the resolution, the civic body needed the approval of the State government.