Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Building Designers Organisation (KBDO) has urged the Government to exempt the capital city from green strip regulations. A press note quoting KBDO president Kowdiar Harikumar and general secretary Mahesh K. Pillai urged the Government to amend the zoning regulations in the proposed development plan for Thiruvananthapuram.

The press note said many small isolated plots within the city were still considered green strips.

It called upon the Government to remove the classification and empower the City Corporation to issue building permit for the construction of houses in such small plots.

The organisation has termed the proposed development plan as detrimental to public interest.

In a memorandum to the Government, the KBDO pointed out that the move to divest the Corporation of the power to issue building permits in heritage zones and green strips and hand it over to the Town Planning department would inconvenience the public.

The memorandum urged the Government to limit the height of multi-storied apartment buildings located in residential zones to six floors or 18 metres. It stressed the need to ensure car parking facilities and open space in such complexes up to 50 units. It also called for laws to ensure that construction of apartments does not affect water and power supply and sewerage for residents in the neighbourhood.

The memorandum observed that the development plan was silent on laws to curb the construction of multi-storey buildings on riverbanks. It pointed out that such buildings were coming up within five metres of both banks of the Karamana and Killi rivers.

The KBDO urged the Government to extend technical and financial assistance to the owners of heritage buildings to help them conserve the structures.

It also highlighted the need to entrust the City Corporation with the preparation of a detailed master plan.

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