New construction norms irk builders in Saurashtra

Builders and developers in the Saurashtra region are unhappy over the new provisions in the general development control regulation approved by the ministry of urban development.

They said heavy fees and complicated provisions envisaged in the regulation are leading to more illegal constructions in the city.

The new regulation has come into effect in Rajkot city in March.

Dharmendra Mirani, president of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers, said the provisions of the regulation have fuelled illegal construction in the state. The regulation calls for heavy charges for approving building plans, Mirani said.

The town planning branch of the Rajkot municipal corporation and the Rajkot Urban Development Authority have seen a marked decline in the number of new applications for approvals. Complicated rules on sub-plotting of land have led to decline in sale and purchase of plots, Mirani said.

Under the new rules, one has to pay amenity charges, dismantling charges and various other development charges to the municipal corporation and the development authority.

For constructing a building on a 100-yard plot, the builder has to pay up to Rs 25,000 to the authorities as administrative charges. This increases the cost of construction and builders lose business, the builders said.

Many are unable to conform to the complicated and unrealistic provisions in the regulation and resort to illegal constructions, industry sources said.

Administrative fees should be relaxed and the procedure for plan approval simplified, Mirani said.

However, provisions regarding high-rises are included in the public interest as many buildings constructed unscientifically suffered massive damage during the earthquake, Nikunj Thaker, a civil engineer, said.

"Earlier, high-rises were allowed to be built even on a plot of 800 square feet, near roads less than 12 feet in width. Now this has been revised. High-rises should be built on at least 1,500 square metres and the road in front should be wider than 15 metres. Plans that do not adhere to these norms will not get approval," said Vijay Chauhan, chairman of the town planning committee of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.

Another provision that has earned builders' wrath is on vehicle parking space. Certain percentage of the total building plot should be allocated for parking, the new regulation stipulates.

"A part of the plot should be compulsorily kept for vehicle parking. Previously, parking was freely allowed inside buildings. Now all the commercial-cum-residence buildings should have covered parking space," Chauhan said.