Two children were electrocuted in a gated community park in Coimbatore on May 23, 2024. The park was built without necessary approvals, violating norms, according to Coimbatore Corporation officials.
Coimbatore: In a tragic incident on May 23, 2024, two children were electrocuted while playing in a park at Raman Vihar, a gated community situated on Thudiyalur – Saravanampatti road in Coimbatore. The Coimbatore Corporation has stated that the park was "built in violation of norms without the necessary approvals in place."
The electrocution occurred due to a faulty underground power cable intended for garden lighting. In response to queries from the grieving parents sent to the Chief Minister's cell, the Coimbatore Corporation's Assistant Commissioner (North Zone) revealed that "Development works were carried out without obtaining permission," and these works "violated approved building permit plans."
Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabhakaran clarified that the site was not an Open Space Reserve (OSR). The space had only been designated as a 'Garden' in the original plan approved by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning in 2011, following which the Coimbatore Local Planning Authority and the Corporation gave their approvals.
The Corporation official noted that since the initial approval, the site was sold to private entities who developed the park without notifying the civic body. Meanwhile, two other sites within the community were designated as OSRs.
The Assistant Commissioner also pointed out a significant gap in regulations, stating that the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, 1981, lacked specific regulations for maintaining private parks.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety standards and regulatory compliance in private residential developments, highlighting the need for stricter oversight and clearer guidelines for such spaces in Coimbatore.
The electrocution occurred due to a faulty underground power cable intended for garden lighting. In response to queries from the grieving parents sent to the Chief Minister's cell, the Coimbatore Corporation's Assistant Commissioner (North Zone) revealed that "Development works were carried out without obtaining permission," and these works "violated approved building permit plans."
Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabhakaran clarified that the site was not an Open Space Reserve (OSR). The space had only been designated as a 'Garden' in the original plan approved by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning in 2011, following which the Coimbatore Local Planning Authority and the Corporation gave their approvals.
The Corporation official noted that since the initial approval, the site was sold to private entities who developed the park without notifying the civic body. Meanwhile, two other sites within the community were designated as OSRs.
The Assistant Commissioner also pointed out a significant gap in regulations, stating that the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, 1981, lacked specific regulations for maintaining private parks.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety standards and regulatory compliance in private residential developments, highlighting the need for stricter oversight and clearer guidelines for such spaces in Coimbatore.