Registration to be granted only if promoters allow ‘common space entry to all in apartments’: Mayor

Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim on Saturday expressed his displeasure over preventing tenants from climbing up to the roof of apartments by a section of promoters in the city and said that during registration it would be stamped that roofs should be a common space and accordingly access should not be denied.

“I have come across several complaints from tenants that promoters are not allowing them to go up to the roof. The promoters take 35 to 40 per cent space of a flat as a super built-up area where common space like a staircase and roof exists. However, there have been instances of illegal practice from a section of promoters allowing shops in such common spaces or renting the roof for restaurant etc. preventing the tenants from climbing upto the roof. In case of fire in a meter box which is usually just beside the staircase on the ground floor in flats, people often need to climb up to the roof for safety purposes. So denying entry on the roof is illegal,” Hakim said.

The Mayor alluded to the tragic fire incident at Stephen Court in Park Street in May 2010 where many people died as the door leading to the roof was locked. “I will ask the concerned registration office to provide registration only when the promoter guarantees that common space access should never be denied,” he added.

Hakim also expressed his concern over the extremely narrow space between two houses preventing the civic body from reaching out with utility services like garbage cleaning or spraying of larvicide and urged the citizens to ensure space for KMC’s utility services for the sake of public health.