HYDERABAD: It's official now. The State Government has amended the Hyderabad Revised Building Rules and made it mandatory to provide setbacks of not less than seven metres on the sides and rear for all new high-rise buildings.

A new G.O. Ms No.17 was issued to this effect on January 10 after a detailed meeting chaired by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy last month.

This rule will be applicable to new multi-storied buildings that are 18 metres and above and comes into effect straightaway.

With this, the Government has resolved the long-standing conflict between the Fire Services Department and the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) over providing appropriate setbacks around the multi-storied buildings.

Incentives

As per the G.O. 171 issued in April last year, incentives to owners who surrender land for road widening free of cost include concessions in the front setback subject to maintaining a clear setback of six metres on all sides as required by the Fire Services Department.

But the Fire Department has brought to the Government's notice that a minimum clear setback of seven metres was required in all the high-rise buildings to enable effective fire fighting operations in case of an accident.

New rule

Explaining the new rule, Fire Services Director-General Alok Srivastava, said that of the seven metres setback stipulated at least six metres space was required for movement of fire tenders and other equipment.

The extra one metre was for taking up fire fighting operations, he said.

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