Construction of independent floors in Punjab under Vigilance scanner

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 23

A decision of the previous Congress government to lift the ban on construction of independent floors on individual plots by builders is learnt to have come under the Vigilance Bureau scanner. Besides, the irregularities in issuing partial completion certificates to residential-cum-commercial projects of private realtors, especially in Zirakpur, are also being probed.

The development follows questioning of former Zirakpur Executive Officer (EO) Girish Verma, who was recently arrested by the VB in a case of disproportionate assets.

Sources in the VB said on the basis of the questioning of the EO, the scope of investigations was being widened to probe various anomalies in the Local Government Department. Officials posted in the department during the period could be also be questioned.

Earlier, Hundreds of notices were issued under Section 195 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, to builders for illegally constructing independent floors. The notices had been issued to builders for illegally raising independent floors without getting the building plans approved as per the building bylaws. The offences include non-compoundable violations, including common stairs and not leaving requisite space at the front and rear portion of house.

But in 2020, the Local Government had allowed approval of building plans for G+2, G+3 and S+4 independent floors under the Punjab Municipal Building Byelaws 2018 which provide for independent floors, but there should be no violation of the building bylaws and the project must be registered with the Punjab Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).

Earlier, RERA had pulled up the Local Government Department for issuing partial completion and layout plans without approval to projects. The builders used to get plans sanctioned for a row of units by showing each as a separate unit, whereas in reality, they were part of a larger project.

Local govt dept pulled up

• RERA had pulled up the Local Government Department for issuing partial completion and layout plans without approval
• The builders used to get plans sanctioned for a row of units by showing each as a separate unit

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