Around 15 buildings, constructed in the Nilgiris without proper approvals, and also for illegally being used as hotels and resorts, are to be locked and sealed by the Udhagamandalam Municipality.

First phase

The first phase of the action was initiated by the officials on Thursday morning.

Speaking to The Hindu, P. Pandiya Narayan, Municiapal Commissioner, said that there were a total of 15 buildings which were found to have been constructed without proper approvals. “Among them, some have been sealed as they had gotten permission to operate as residential buildings, but were instead being used as hotels and resorts,” said the commissioner. Officials said that the buildings that were sealed were located in Hill Bunk, Lovedale Junction and Grand Duff Road.

The municipality said that only five buildings have been sealed so far, but added that the rest would be sealed in the coming days.

Among the buildings that were sealed on Thursday was a wax museum that was operating near Hill Bunk Junction, which is popular with tourists. Police had also been called in during the lock and seal action to ensure that there were no altercations between the officials and the building owners.

The municipality has appealed to all those planning to build new houses to obtain proper building licences, and to also not run resorts illegally, stating that persons found running resorts and hotels illegally face the prospect of having their buildings sealed permanently by the civic body.