Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Collection of Regularisation Fees Increases 339 Percent in a Financial Year

The  Thiruvananthapuram government has compensated for the permit fee collecting shortfall with a windfall of revenue from the regularisation of unlawful projects. According to the budget paper for 2022-23, the municipal corporation collected a 339 percent rise in regularisation fee collection between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

The results for the last four fiscal years indicate that regularisation fee collection increased gradually, except in pandemic-affected 2020-21, when it fell below Rs 1 crore to Rs 68 lakh.

However, the collection rose to Rs 3 crore in 2021-22, compared to the planned amount of Rs 3.5 crore. 

The repeated increase in the regularisation charge is symptomatic of the city's recent rash of unlawful developments.

According to information given before the assembly in 2020, the municipal corporation discovered 450 structures developed in breach of building codes. Since 2015, the municipal administration has destroyed 42 unlicensed structures while owners of 52 unauthorised structures have secured a delay of destruction.

Significant swaths of unapproved structures have been discovered in the Vizhinjam-Kovalam region. In 2020, a total of 169 structures were discovered as being unlawful in the region. 

A demolition campaign has been finalised after a meeting conducted by the LSG department in which it was determined to review the action done in response to a report filed by the vigilance about structures that violated coastal control zone regulations.

However, the corporation halted the process after allegations that the municipal body was destroying the tourist business.

In 2016, assembly data indicated that both private and public structures had been constructed within 100 metres of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in contravention of municipality construction regulations or without the approval of the art and heritage commission. According to a response provided by then-LSG minister K T Jaleel, the municipal corporation had awarded temporary permits for these structures. 

However, the list featured some structures that were erected over two decades ago. The reply detailed violations and encroachment by a hotel group, unauthorised constructions near Pathra Kulam, encroachments by a shopping complex and a hotel, heritage zone violations by the treasury building, unauthorised construction of a high-rise building by the directorate of technical education, high-rise construction of a jewellery store, constructions above a textile shop, and unauthorised constructions along Pazhavangadi to Attakulangara.

Bunks on the left side of the East Fort's main entrance, as well as a mobile tower atop the Soubhagya structure, were also included in the list of works for which a temporary order had been given.

The corporation took action against illegal structures at Vizhinjam, Thiruvallom, Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu, and Fort in 2018. Vizhinjam zone has 149 - the largest number of unlawful structures.