KMC may define ‘minor deviation’ to curb violation of building rules
Times of India | 8 June 2024
Kolkata: Around three months after the collapse of an illegally constructed building that killed 13 people, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to specify the “minor deviations” from building plans, which the civic body might consider for regularization. The initiative is part of a broader effort to curb the illegal construction menace that has been plaguing the city.The issue was discussed at the mayor-in-council meeting on Friday after allegations that the ambiguity allowed un-scrupulous developers to regularise illegal constructions.
According to a KMC source, some MMiCs questioned the civic body’s decision to pass regularization proposals at the MiC meetings without going into details about the extent of violation of the building rules.
“We can’t regularize an illegally constructed building simply on the basis of an application from its owner or promoter, without physically checking the details of the violation of rules,” said an MMiC.
According to a civic official, the term “minor deviation” was adopted to benefit owners of old buildings who need to build either a kitchen, toilet or a prayer room that had not been included in the original plans. “After considering pleas of the owners of such buildings, we decided to regularize such constructions against a fee,” said a civic official.
Applicants who need to make changes in the internal space of a residential building during erection or execution of the construction work must inform the KMC 15 days in advance, and must submit a certificate from the architect, licenced building surveyor or structural engineer to the municipal commissioner’s office with drawings incorporating the deviations, and stating their nature and purpose. However, such alterations should be restricted to the sanctioned covered space.
According to an official, the relaxations in building rules are being offered after half a decade as, in 2014, prodded by a court ruling, KMC was forced to withdraw the system of regularizing minor deviations. “If an applicant wants to make some internal changes, we will allow it as long as it doesn’t infringe on the provisions of the building rules,” an official said.