New Delhi   

Building by-laws may see change

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Delhi Govt. plan to bring them "in tune with the need of the people"

NEW DELHI: With elections to the Delhi Assembly no more than a year and a half away, the Congress Government in Delhi has drawn up plans to change a number of building by-laws, undertake massive construction activity and implement a number of new projects soon after completion of the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections next week.

On top of the agenda is a proposal to sub-divide the MCD in order to make it more manageable and to reduce corruption therein.

The Delhi Government has made up its mind on the issue. The only question remaining to be answered is whether the MCD would be divided into three parts -- which can be done by the Delhi Government itself -- or if it would be divided into even more parts for which a Central legislation would be required.

Then there is a proposal to amend the building by-laws to bring them more in tune with the needs of the people.

"The building by-laws were formulated in the 1950s and a change in them would make it more flexible for the people to do alterations within the permissible floor area ratio and maximum height. This would also put an end to the intervention of inspectors which goes on within the confines of the four walls,'' say sources.

Simultaneously, the Union Ministry of Urban Development has been approached to amend the Delhi Development Authority Act that was again formulated in the 1950s. This would again provide relief to a large number of people living in colonies developed by the DDA.

According to sources, it would seek to regularise most of the additions to the structures.

Realising that construction activity also needs to be picked up so that people see work taking place around them, the Delhi Government is also about to float tenders for construction of nearly 60,000 houses made of pre-fabricated material for the economically weaker sections of society.

"These flats would cost about Rs. 1.60 lakh each and would have a room with an attached toilet and kitchen. The construction time required for them would be very short as they would be made of pre-fabricated material.''

Likewise, for lakhs of construction workers who land in Delhi every year, the Delhi Government is planning to develop "holding areas''.

According to sources, these would be buildings in the form of dormitories in which the workers would be allowed to stay as long as they like.

The concept is very popular in Communist countries and South-East Asia.

The advantage with it is that after people become financially well off, they automatically move out of such habitations and the vacant space goes back to the Government for further use.

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