Date:11/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/11/stories/2008121158750300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Plan to bring constructions under mortgage clause

Any building of ground plus two and more should pledge 10 p.c. of built up space to GHMC
Penalty of Rs.1, 000 per sft of each floor is charged if violation is less than 10 p.c.

HYDERABAD: The GHMC is contemplating asking the government to bring all constructions under the mortgage clause of the common building rules. As per the clause, any building of ground plus two and more should pledge 10 per cent of built up space to it.

Building violations

But, rampant building violations are said to be happening in smaller constructions of less than two storied buildings forcing authorities to think of methods to arrest it. “We have found many, illegally building an extra floor when permissions were given for ground plus one,” explained a senior official.

Rampant

Such violations are rampant in municipal circles of Kukatpally, L.B. Nagar and few others, he said.

After the common building rules under G.O.86 came into force, constructions of more than ground plus one floor have to mortgage 10 per cent developed property on either ground, first or second floors through an affidavit.

The same is recorded in a separate ‘Prohibitory Property Watch Register’ of the Registration Department and only then the building plan is released.

The mortgaged part is also released later if the building is constructed as per the sanctioned plan.

If violation is less than 10 per cent, a hefty penal fee of Rs.1, 000 per SFT of each floor is charged.

Otherwise, the violated part is liable to be pulled down and mortgaged portion would be either taken over (as it had happened for a commercial building in Jubilee Hills few days ago) or a public auction is held.

Having taking its first action against deviated buildings after the mortgage clause came into being, the town planning wing is doing a reality check of more than a 1,000 multi-storied buildings cleared after the common building rules came into force in March 2006.

Action soon

The Commissioner, S.P. Singh, and others inspected some of the grounded constructions that had deviated from the sanctioned plan and action is imminent, officials affirm.

Talks are also on with the Water Board and Power Distribution firms to ensure respective connections are given only after an ‘occupancy certificate’, indicating that the construction was according to the plan, is produced by the owner.