Regularisation of non-compoundable violations in buildings: Punjab Govt seeks comments on settlement policy draft

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 11

Ahead of the Assembly elections, the state government is going to introduce a one-time settlement policy for regularisation of non-compoundable violations in residential and non-residential buildings.

Now, the Department of Local Government has prepared a draft policy, ‘The Punjab one-time voluntary disclosure and settlement of building constructed in violations of the building bylaws policy, 2021’.

A copy of the policy draft has been sent to the mayors, commissioners and officials concerned of municipal corporations, councils, nagar panchayats and improvement trusts in the state and asked them to examine the policy draft and send their comments by August 16.

As per the draft of the policy, in areas under municipal corporations and Improvements Trusts of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana, a composition fee of Rs 250 per sq ft of the total non-compoundable area on all floors in residential plotted buildings, has been fixed. Front house-line in case of scheme areas will not be compounded as per the draft.

Besides, Rs 750 per sq ft composition fee has been fixed for non-compoundable building violations in non-residential buildings, as per the draft.

As per the draft policy, non-compoundable building violations in non-residential buildings, disclosed voluntarily under sub-section (1) of section 4, may be settled by the competent authority, on as is where is basis (except the mandatory fire safety requirement including setbacks* and parking requirement as mentioned in Schedule-I of the Municipal Building By-laws, 2018, and public safety/security and public convenience will not be compromised) after spot verification as a one-time measure by realising the composition fee.

Notably, thousands of illegal constructions have come up against the building by-laws in the city. Moreover, commercial activities are going on in many residential areas of the city but the authorities took no action to provide any relief to people from such violations.

Now, questions are also being raised over the government’s policy draft. Kapil Arora of the Council of Engineers said: “Suggestions should be taken from all stakeholders, including residents of Ludhiana. When the by-laws were made, these were not implemented properly, leaving violators to raise buildings against the norms in the city. Now, the government wants to allow regularisation of the non-compoundable violations in buildings. It would be like cheating with law-abiding residents, who had got their buildings constructed as per the rules.”

MC’s MTP SS Bindra said: “It is a draft policy and we are examining it. We will give suggestions that parking violations in buildings should not be regularised. All buildings must ensure parking arrangements.”

Copy sent to officials of civic bodies

A copy of the policy draft has been sent to the Mayor, Commissioner and officials concerned of municipal corporations, councils, nagar panchayats and improvement trusts in the state and asked them to examine the draft of the policy and send comments by August 16.