Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051221470300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Fire precaution fee to be levied on builders

K.V.S. Madhav

Fee aimed at developing fire safety infrastructure

Amount to be credited to HUDA directly by applicants during submission of proposal for construction

Idea aimed at involving local builders for modern fire safety system

HYDERABAD : The Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) will henceforth levy fire precaution fee on builders proposing construction of buildings of and above 12 metres in height in the Cyberabad area.

The fee is intended to develop fire safety infrastructure of the Fire Services Department under the Fire Services Infrastructure Development Fund there.

For all types of buildings of 12 to 18 metres height, the levy would be Rs. 3 per square metre of total built up area, Rs. 5 per square metre of total built up area for residential buildings of 18 metres to 30 metres height, Rs. 6 per square meter of built up area for non-residential buildings and Rs. 10 per square metre of total built up area of buildings of above 30 metres height.

The amount will have to be credited to the HUDA directly by the applicants during submission of proposal for construction of the buildings.

The levy is to partly fund a unique community initiative in the public-private partnership evolved by the Fire Services department, which roped in builders and Information Technology Park developers along with the HUDA to construct a model fire station at Vattinagulapalli on the city outskirts.

While the builders had agreed to chip in with Rs. 182 lakhs, the balance amount of Rs. 586 lakhs accounting for 75 per cent of the total expenditure for the model fire station was released by HUDA as advance and credited to the Fire Services Infrastructure Development Fund account in the Indian Overseas Bank, Himayatnagar branch, according to the Director General of Fire Services, Andhra Pradesh, Alok Srivastava.

Local builders' role

"The idea is to involve local builders to create a state-of-the-art fire safety system benefiting the entire community," he explained.

The nine builders who had agreed to contribute 25 per cent of the total expenditure are Maytas Properties Limited, Ramky Estates & Farms Limited, K. Raheja IT Park, L&T Infocity Limited, Jayabheri Properties Limited, Indu Projects, Emaar Hills Township Private Limited, IJM and DLF Housing.

The Fire Safety Infrastructure Development Fund would be collected by HUDA for a period of five years or until repayment of advance given by it for the fire infrastructure, whichever is earlier.