Defence guidelines on high-rises worries Kolkata Mayor

Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee today said they are worried about guidelines from the Ministry of Defence which restrict construction of high-rises near land owned by the defence forces.
"We can accept it where there is a defence camp but why should they do it where there is defence quarters? We are worried. We will discuss the issue at various levels. Our building plan sanction is getting stuck because of this," Chatterjee told reporters here.
According to KMC officials, the Defence has asked the civic body to consult them before approving any high-rise plan in areas of the city like Ballygunj, Hastings, Fort William, Maidan, Turf View, Taratala, etc.

An Army spokesperson in Kolkata clarified that the guidelines restricting the height of buildings were issued a few years ago.
"These are not new ones and are applicable all over the country wherever there is a defence establishment or land owned by the defence forces," the spokesperson said.