T&T Group violation may fetch $44,052 fine T&T Group may be fined for up to VND1 billion ($44,052) for constructing three additional floors to its high-end trade and service building in the central province's Nghe An's Vinh city. T&T Group purposely violated construction regulations. Source: baonghean.vn A deliberate violation T&T Group’s high-end trade and service building located in Vinh city received the building permit in early 2017 from the Nghe An Department of Construction with the approved detailed construction plan of 86.75 metre overall height, including 25 apartment floors and one technical floor. According to Article 13(8) of Decree No.121/2013/ND-CP, for the acts specified in clauses 3, 5, 6 ,and 7 of this Article, after repeated aministrative violations, depending on the degree of violation and the scale of works, a fine between VND500 million ($22,026) and VND1 billion ($44,052) shall be imposed and the building permit shall be withdrawn. When the construction was at the 17th floor, T&T Group sent a document to the Nghe An People’s Committee to adjust the building height’s from 25 to 28 floors. Accordingly, in May last year, the Nghe An Department of Construction issued Document No.1069/SXD–QLHDXD providing instruction on procedures for adjusting the building’s height. However, despite the local Department of Construction’s guidelines, T&T Group simply went ahead adding the floors without finishing the necessary procedures. On June 12, 2017, the Nghe An Department of Construction inspected the project, then discovered that the 26th floor was being constructed. Shortly afterwards, the department ordered T&T Group to stop construction and only continue after receiving authorization from relevant authorities. Vinh city’s urban management authorities on June 27, 2017 discovered that T&T Group has been ignoring the department’s orders and was constructing the 28th floor already. VND1 billion ($44,052) potential fine According to Phan Thanh Son, leader of Vinh city’s Urban Inspection Team, after the Vinh City People’s Committee issued Decision No.4078/QD-UBND to issue administrative sanctions against T&T Group for intentionally violating its building permit licensed by the Nghe An Department of Construction on January 6, 2017, T&T Group only paid a fine of VND40 million ($1,762). However, to date, there are no plans to resolve this case satisfactorily. Meanwhile, an inspector of the Nghe An Department of Construction said that if the province initiated proceedings on this violation on construction regulations, T&T Group may be fined up to VND1 billion. By Van Anh, VIR