NASHIK: The civic body has urged citizens to get copies of
approved building plans from it while purchasing properties to ensure that they
are not duped by the builders.
The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) made the appeal after
it found that the builders indulged in constructions other than the ones
approved by the civic administration.
Following the municipal commissioner Praveen Gedam's orders,
additional director of the NMC's town planning department Vijay Shende
circulated a letter to the media asking people to get approved plans from the
civic body. Accordingly, the building plans would be made available to the
applicants within seven days. The minister concerned, builders and civic
officials will hold a meeting on May 13 to discuss the matter.
"In many cases, we noted that the builders had done
constructions other than what we had approved. Moreover, the NMC had not given
completion certificates to the builders in several cases. The customers/buyers
of the property do not have an idea about the kind of construction permission.
The customers could be duped in such cases. Therefore, the municipal
commissioner has urged citizens to ask for the plan approved by the NMC's town
planning department to get an idea about the kind of construction
permissions," said an NMC official.
He said the applicants will get photocopies of the building
plan in seven days. They will have to bear only the charges of photocopies, he
added.
The built-up and carpet areas presented by the builders
while taking construction permission and the ones shown during sale deed differ
a lot. Hence, they take permission for less area but sell more. Besidesm the
NMC has also noticed certain discrepancies such as excluding cupboard space
while seeking construction permission and including it when selling the
property. According to the NMC, the builders were earning crores of rupees by
doing so.
"There should be space below the window and cupboards should
be constructed as well. However, covering balconies and terraces and making
cupboard space part of habitable rooms are few of the violations. After
noticing such violation, we brought it to the notice of the municipal
commissioner. The builders now want to get the discrepancies regularised by
paying penalty," the official said.
"Builders indulged in such irregularities and there was
no check on them. We found these irregularities after inspection. The
Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI) has
accused Shende of not functioning properly and complained to the municipal
commissioner about it. It was Shinde who discovered the illegalities in
buildings," he said.
He added that the builders and some corporators were putting
pressure by demanding that the municipal commissioner should regularize the
discrepancies in the constructions by charging penalty.
Speaking to TOI, Gedam said, "Builders and architects
are aware that it is not within the powers of the municipal commissioner to
give relaxation in floor space index (FSI). They are also aware that for doing
so, changes need to be made in building code rules, for which they should
approach the government. However, they are pressurising the local officers to
do illegal things. Instances of past illegalities cannot be mentioned as
precedent to continue with illegalities. Builders are legally bound to take
money for the carpet area, for which approval is granted to them. It has come
to our notice that they are selling more area than the approved plan, which
amounts to cheating".
About the accusations against Shende, he said, "I have
written to Credai demanding exact allegations against Shende in writing.
However, it is yet to do so."
A city-based builder said on the condition of anonymity,
"Our people want the business to go on but the municipal commissioner
thinks that anyone working in this field is a criminal. In many cases, builders
may have taken the approval but the construction work has not been started due
to legal issues. There are a very few cases of cupboard space being included in
the FSI."
Meanwhile, Shende, who was instrumental in discovering the
discrepancies, is being transferred. A senior NMC official said on the
condition of anonymity, "Seniors at the topmost level have told us about
Shende's transfer. We are awaiting the transfer order, which is expected any
moment."
Source: The Economics Times
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