CHENNAI: The failure of city planners to amend the development control rules and planning norms to suit changing conditions, has led to deviations from approved building plans, according to C.H. Gopinatha Rao, former national president of the Institution of Valuers.

Addressing members of the Metropolitan Flat builders Association recently on the `need for reforms in development control rules,'

Mr. Rao said planning norms were subject to constant and continuous review. They should respond to the adaptability of the public and to suit the changing circumstances. "

The CMDA has failed to make suitable amendments to the Rules framed about 25 years back. The Second Master Plan has not been finalised although the draft was published a decade back.

"The outdated rules have resulted in construction of large number of buildings deviating from the approved plans or put to unauthorised use. The regularisation scheme introduced in 1999 had a negative impact. It is time to revise the D.C. rules to respond the public requirements without environmental degradation," he added.

Grey areas

Pointing to some of the grey areas in the present Master Plan and rules, he noted that special buildings' definition came under Rule 19 b.

But it noted that "any construction in the second floor as an addition to an individual existing ground and first floor building, which is three years old... shall not be construed as a special building"

What would be the changes in three years that exempted any structure from the definition, he asked.

Mr. Rao said officials were scrutinising building plans manually by checking with the complex development control rules. This led to delay and a financial burden on builders.

`Auto DCR'

He cited the reported automatic scrutiny system named "Auto DCR" software, in use by Pune Municipal Corporation and Surat Urban Development Authority.

The system produced scrutiny reports in a few minutes on receipt of the plans from the applicants.

The building approval system was web-based where the applicants submitted the plans on a CD format or else over the Internet.

By introducing such a system, the CMDA could grant plan approvals quickly and effectively, he said.

Among those who participated in the function were P.V.Ponraj, President, P.Badrinath, member and P. Manishankar, secretary.

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