Mayor junks BJP’s barb of arbitrary regularisation of illegal construction

Kolkata: At a time when the “illegally” constructed building in Vidyasagar Colony shot to limelight after it precariously tilted towards one side prompting the civic body to begin demolition, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim on Friday scotched the allegations of the opposition BJP that another “illegal construction” in Santoshpur Avenue was arbitrarily regularised by

the civic body.

During the KMC monthly meeting, BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh sought to know from the Mayor as to what is taken into consideration for regularising an illegal construction. He cited the example of a building at 497 Santoshpur Avenue. He said it was designated for demolition but was regularised.

The Mayor said that the building had first obtained a sanction in October 1996 for an area of 499.41 sqm. Next, when they increased a floor in 2023, sanction was given for 52.4 sqm area. There was no sanction for the lift and staircase which comprised

a 311 sqm area.

This was regularised against a fine of Rs 32 lakh after the hearing officer gave permission for the same. However, there was construction on the fourth floor on an area of 71.8 sqm which was demolished as per orders. The Mayor said every person has a legal right to avail of the provisions laid down under law. There are provisions to regularise certain deviations from the sanctioned building if it is seen that such deviation will not affect the structural stability of the building.

TMC councillor Ananya Banerjee said that no sanction was sought for the staircase because at the time there was already a staircase which later collapsed during the work of increasing an additional floor for which sanction was obtained. She accused the BJP councillor Ghosh of

misleading people.

The KMC had last year amended its rules relating to regularisation. Hakim had said that KMC didn’t have any provision to issue sanctions for construction in small plots measuring one or two cottahs.

This had paved the way for unauthorised constructions. He said KMC seeks to regularise constructions on such plots and for which it amended its rules. He, however, had clarified that KMC will not allow regularisation of illegal constructions on big plots.