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Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Housing Board earning around 10 lakhs per month through maintenance charges from the owners of his 550 houses in AmbatturBut residents say most of the problems remain unresolved.
After TOI highlighted how flats in the Athipattu area had developed cracks, with plaster falling off, residents said they were each paying Rs 1,600 a month for maintenance from 2020, which was to be paid in six months. It was increased to 1,800 a month ago.
They say that the complex does not have facilities like gym, party hall, mini theater or swimming pool for such a high fee. Residents’ associations within the tenancies had refused to do the maintenance on their own, saying that not all houses were occupied and that the towers had several quality defects. Block 8 Residents Welfare Association president Suresh C Nair said there were huge cracks in the walls, cement dust kept falling, the lift was out of order and garbage material was dumped under the tiles. “Why are they charging so much maintenance when there is no work? We have to go there tnhb office in Thirumangalam (6 km away) to pay the maintenance every month,” he said.
Malar, who lives on the 11th floor of Block 9, said there are only two sweepers in 266 households. “Just over 100 houses have been sold. Two sweepers can’t cover the entire building. Secondly, most floors above the 10th have poor quality wiring. Even if we install our own lights , even then they don’t work.”
He said little had been done to resolve many issues but money was being collected. “Some owners are spending their own money to fix up their homes because they have to rent it out.”
The houses were bought in 2016 for Rs 19.9 lakh and were handed over in 2020. “Now, they are asking for an additional Rs 3 lakh to deliver the sale deed. We have refused to pay as we don’t know what it is for,” she said. Palanisamy, a resident of Block 9, said there was no garbage collection and the stairs were damaged. “1800 is not worth paying,” he said. On Saturday, visuals shared by residents showed hollow staircases with no concrete plaster.
Neither TNHB assistant engineer Muruganandam nor executive engineer Manjunathan were available for comment. Earlier, TNHB chairman Poochi S Murugan told TOI that he would hold discussions with residents regarding the maintenance and sale.
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