Plea filed in HC seeking modification of Kodaikanal 'master

A petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to authorities concerned to modify the 'master plan' of Kodaikanal Municipality on the grounds that it had not been revised as per rules.
When the petition by Kodaikanal Hotel and Resort Owners' Association came up yesterday, the division bench of justices M Satyanarayanan and R Hemalatha here posted it for hearing on February 14.
The petition sought the modification of the master plan of the tourist town under Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, once in 5 years.
The petitioners submitted that the plan had come into effect in 1993, and had lapsed after five years.

A revised master plan was prepared by the Deputy director of Town and Country planning in 2003, and sent to the Director in 2004, they claimed.
The Madras High Court had also directed the authorities concerned to look into the issue of modification of the plan but to no avail, they said.
Noting that hotels in the hill station were expanding due to rise in the influx of tourists, the petitioners said the Municipality was penalising hotels for building violations.
Hence, if the new master plan is implemented, the buildings would come under prescribed norms, they added.