The Hindu : Kerala News : New zoning regulation norms mooted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 06, 2006
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Kerala

Kerala

New zoning regulation norms mooted

N.J. Nair

Regulations expected to put an end to `exemption raj'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Flexible zoning regulation norms have been drawn up by the Government to accord conditional clearance for constructing residential and commercial buildings in areas that were earlier notified as agricultural, commercial and industrial zones.

Local Administration Department sources told The Hindu that the Town and Country Planning Department had submitted the draft regulations for Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi to the Government and the suggestions for Kozhikode would be submitted within two days.

The regulations had been drafted without compromising on the basic tenets of the Town and Country Planning Act, but it gave more flexibility for constructing buildings in residential, commercial and industrial zones as well as green strips or agricultural zones without causing environmental depredation and upsetting future developments.

The new regulations were expected to put an end to the `exemption raj' and corrupt practices for issuing special orders for building construction in violation of zoning regulations.

Partial variations were made to the existing regulations without changing the existing land use maps.

As per the existing norms, exemption was imperative for constructing buildings violating the regulations.

The new regulations had provisions to construct residential buildings up to 3,000 sq ft in green strips with the concurrence of the District Town Planner.

Construction of commercial complexes, public offices, small industrial units and places of worship would be permitted in residential zones, subjected to the provisions of the Act.

The District Town Planners would not approve projects in water-logged and low-lying areas and also which impeded natural drainage and had serious environmental impact.

No construction would be permitted within 10 metres on the banks of canals and 20 metres on riverbanks.

Permission would be given to construct commercial, industrial and residential buildings 100 metres away from the boundary of national and State highways and roads which have 15 to 20 metres width.

This was suggested to utilise the huge tracts of land that were remaining unutilised on the sides of such roads.

The new floor area ratio suggested for Kochi was much higher than the rates prevalent in the neighbouring States and even New Delhi, sources said.

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