Builders told to raze old structure and construct it anew
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed builders and developers to refrain from constructing additional floors on old buildings under transferred development rights (TDR) unless they demolish the existing structure completely and reconstruct the new building in its place.
The Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) had taken up the issue with the state government and the municipal corporation in January, seeking a ban on constructing additional floors on buildings constructed prior to 1991 using the provisions under the rights.
MCHI had pointed out that such constructions would put at risk the structures as mere external columns were needed to be constructed to add the additional floors to the existing old buildings.
According to an MCHI release here, the municipal corporation has directed builders to reconstruct the entire building if they want to use TDR to increase the number of floors on existing buildings.
Through a circular, made effective from June 1, the BMC has begun giving TDR permissions only to those builders who guarantee to demolish the whole building and build a new one in its place before constructing additional floors.
MCHI secretary Sunil Mantri said:
