KMC amends rule allowing it to issue sanctions for small plots
Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Friday passed a ‘rule amendment’ that will allow it to issue sanction for construction on small plots while it is also planning to do away with the concept of regularizing
unauthorised constructions on big plots.
On Friday, BJP councillor Bijoy Ojha raised the issue of illegal constructions in the presence of Mayor Firhad Hakim, asserting that KMC needs tougher laws to deal with this menace. He highlighted how even Building department engineers going for demolition drives are coming under attack.
The Mayor said: “Recently, in two places our engineers were harassed in the presence of police. The attack on the engineers was a slap on the face of the KMC. I will not tolerate that. I will write to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata for extending adequate police force so we can raze to ground these structures,” he said.
Hakim added that illegal constructions have been ongoing for decades and is not a new problem. “However, we cannot allow it to go on. We have taken tough measures and I can say with conviction that illegal constructions have stopped now,” he said.
However, for unauthorised constructions on small plots measuring one or two cottahs, Hakim said that KMC did not have any provision to issue sanction for construction so far. “The owners of such plots were also helpless since they were not getting any sanction for building plans. A case relating to this is pending in the Calcutta High Court. We will urge the court that in case of small plots, it allows us to regularise these unauthorised plots using section 401 of KMC Act. Today we passed a rules amendment so we can give sanction for construction in small plots. Will send it to the state government for approval.”
The Mayor highlighted that KMC will not allow regularisation of illegal constructions on big plots. “We are bringing a law that will define the extent and cases in which KMC can and cannot regularise illegal constructions. On the whole, we want plot owners to approach us for sanction before they plan any construction,” said Hakim.
