The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BBMP to ask BDA to return 583 files

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 23, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BBMP to ask BDA to return 583 files

Staff Reporter

Civic authority to revisit them to check if high rises adhere to bylaws

— FILE PHOTO: K. GOPINATHAN

MORE REVENUE:Owners of high rises will be given occupancy certificates only

Bangalore: Occupancy certificates (OCs) issued by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to high rises during the last five years will now be reviewed by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

This decision was taken by the BBMP's Standing Committee for Town Planning here on Tuesday. After debating the matter during the BBMP Council meetings several times over the past one year, the BBMP will now write to the BDA seeking the files pertaining to 583 OCs. The palike proposes to revisit these files to check whether the buildings adhere to bylaws.

Entrusted to BDA

BBMP, as the local municipal government in Bangalore, alone is empowered under the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976 to issue OCs. However, during the absence of an elected council after BBMP was formed, a decision was taken entrusting this responsibility to the BDA.

Sources said that the BDA issued OCs without checking for violations as it had no power to levy penalty (also known as Compounding Fee) on the deviated portion. On the other hand, the KMC Act empowers BBMP to levy penalty on deviations up to 5 per cent. The BBMP's zonal commissioners are said to have recently slapped notices on 116 of the 583 constructions for violating building bylaws.

Big penalty amount

Sources said that the Town Planning Department would take a relook at the OCs issued, besides checking for violations.

If violations are found, the fee will vary depending on the extent and nature of violations. With this move, the BBMP is expected to rake in around Rs. 300 crore. The committee decided to levy road cutting charges at the time of building plan sanction for sites measuring 30' x 40' and 40' x 60'.

This decision will also help increase revenue flow into the BBMP's coffers and bring down unauthorised road cutting.

It is now mandatory for any construction on sites measuring more than 50' x 80' to obtain OCs from BBMP. Also, three-storey buildings must also obtain OCs, irrespective of the dimension of the site. The owners of such buildings will be given OC only if they pay the road cutting charges.

The Standing Committee found that the building plans for several constructions, especially those in newly added areas, were approved by respective city municipal councils, or town municipal council, Kengeri, and gram panchayats concerned. The Town Planning Department will now have to verify these plans and check for violations.

Sources said that all these subjects will now be placed before the council for approval.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka