Mayor cracks down: 11,539 illegal buildings razed by KMC

Kolkata: Reaffirming the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) tough stance against unauthorized constructions, Mayor Firhad Hakim on Tuesday said the civic body had demolished 11,539 illegal structures over the past five years, including 850 in the last two years alone.

Hakim said the crackdown was part of a sustained drive to enforce building norms and curb rampant violations across the city. “We have acted firmly against illegal constructions, especially in large and posh areas. Slum areas were spared, but no big illegal structure has been allowed to stand,” he said.

Providing a break-up of enforcement measures, the Mayor said 480 cases were lodged against illegal constructions on plots up to 500 sq ft, 150 cases in properties ranging between 500 sq ft and 700 sq ft, and 80 cases in the 750–1000 sq ft category. He maintained that only small-area unauthorized constructions were considered for regularization under existing provisions.

The civic body’s enforcement push comes alongside a series of amendments to the KMC Building Rules, 2009, which were revised in 2025 to streamline approvals and tighten oversight.

Officials said the changes were aimed at balancing ease of doing business with stricter compliance.

Under Section 393A of the KMC Act, 1980, building plans for small residential plots up to 210 sq m and up to 10 metres in height are now processed through an IT-enabled deemed approval system to expedite sanctions.

The Building Department has also introduced online systems for Completion-cum-Occupancy Certificates through a Common Application Form to ensure transparency and faster clearances. Regular inspections are being conducted, and actions taken against unauthorized constructions are being uploaded to the KMC portal.

Civic officials said the amendments also include measures to widen roads through incentive-based FAR benefits and stricter monitoring of construction sites to check environmental violations.

The Mayor asserted that enforcement and reform would go hand in hand to ensure planned and safe urban growth in Kolkata.