KMC plans to change the name of its town planning and development department
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to revert to the original name of its Town Planning and Development Department.
Aiming to curb illegal constructions in the city, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has now shifted its lens towards smaller plots. The civic body is working on plans to allow sanction to buildings of smaller sizes while making norms for regularisation of bigger structures more stringent.
After the collapse of a multistorey under-construction building resulting in the death of at least 11 local residents, the municipal corporation has intensified its crackdown on illegal constructions. The issue was a subject of uproar in the recently held monthly House at the KMC last week when the opposition councillors criticised the civic body authorities over illegal constructions. Responding to the claims, mayor Firhad Hakim informed that the civic body has passed an amendment in the rules of the KMC norms that will help in curbing illegal constructions.
According to Mr Hakim, the civic body is considering relaxing the mandatory leaving of four feet space around a building. “In the existing system, four feet space is to be left on two sides and for the back side there are norms of four feet and six feet. If one has a plot of one cottah or two cottahs, after leaving this much of space, how will he construct his house. To resolve this, we are trying to amend the rules to allow leaving less space for smaller plots and more FAR (floor area ratio) for vertical extensions.”
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According to the mayor, in illegal constructions the quality would be compromised. If such structures are given sanction, the construction would be done as per norms and not illegally. As informed by Mr Hakim, the proposal has been sent to the state government for approval. Once approved the civic body would notify it.
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