Inadequate services: Construction firm penalised

CHENNAI: A consumer court in the city has directed Chitra Constructions Private Limited on Choolaimedu High Road to pay a total sum of Rs 9.30 lakh to one of their customers towards compensation for deficiency in service on its part.The amount included Rs5.70 lakh towards rental compensation, Rs 2 lakh for the works left unfinished, besides Rs 1 lakh for mental agony suffered by S Shankar of Karaikal, the complainant in this case.Even after 10 years from the date of entering into an agreement with the builder and paying the cost of Rs 25.50 lakh by the complainant, the construction of the flat in Chitra Avenue in Choolaimedu had not been completed, the Chennai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (North), has noted. Even the approval from the CMDA had not been obtained so far, Forum president R Mohandoss and member T Kamalakannan, pointed out.According to Shankar, he entered into the agreement in September 2000 for construction of a flat with an area of 1,810 sq.ft. As per the agreement, the builder was to complete the construction and hand-over possession the same in 18 months, i.e. by March 10, 2002. The forum appointed advocate-commissioners twice to inspect the flat in 2004 and 2005 and in their reports, they pointed out various deficiencies in service on the part of the builder.The forum also directed the builder to obtain regularisation for the building from the CMDA and hand-over it to the complainant.