Building
byelaws are introduced in urban local bodies to prevent indiscriminate building
activity affecting ventilation, aesthetics, traffic problems etc. Later, U.S.
method of zoning regulations were also introduced in Indian cities for land use
control, control of density of population, control of developments around
national monuments etc. If building byelaws and zoning regulations are
followed, our urban areas would provide better living environment.
Most of our
people do not like building byelaws as they feel that they are restrictions for
exploitation of their property to the maximum extent. Commercial uses any
where, with no parks and open spaces in their lands, narrow roads, and without
amenities in their layouts etc., is what many of the land owners and investors
like for developing their land. They want freedom for development like it used
to be in olden days. With such atti tudes they violate building byelaws and
zoning regulations meant for good living environment.
a) High landvalues: Bangalore being a rapidly growing large city with about 60 lakhs
populations at present; has very high land values. Majority of the land owners
/ builders therefore want to exploit their land for more usage and returns.
Violators therefore build more area than permitted by the Mahanagar Palike.
b) Setbacks: Set backs are prescribed in the building byelaws to provide for
ventilation in the building, privacy from the neighbouring buildings and road,
and to be away from the road to avoid dust and traffic noise. Part of front set
back will be useful to the B.M.P. for widening of road due to increase in
traffic volume. Majority of the owners / builders therefore reduce the set
backs to build more area than permitted by B.M.P. as per byelaws.
c) FloorArea Ratio: In the Building Byelaws, Floor Area Ratio (EAR.) is prescribed
separately for intensely developed area, moderately developed area, and
sparsely developed area. Earlier, EAR used to be high in more intensely
developed central areas in view of land values, and lower EA.R in the suburbs
where land values are less. But the approach since the C.D.P. of Bangalore,
1984 is to fix less EA.R. in the central area to enable decongestion and higher
EAR in the suburbs to encourage development where the traffic and other
problems are less. But owners and builders ignore the FAR prescriptions and
utilise more FAR in developed area to cash in on high land values.
d)
Staircase: Owners of small sites build staircase outside the building, in the
area meant for set back area; and utilize the staircase area within the
building; to enable letting out first floor and upper floor of the building
ifpossible, so that separate entrance is available.
e) Balcony:
Open Balconies sanctioned by the BMP are converted in most of the cases for
extension of the living or bed rooms. Open balcony area is not considered for
F.A.R purpose and such conversion of balcony areas will increase the floor area
used for self or for sale to get more returns.
f)Multi-dwellingunits: Multi- dwelling units I apartments are not sanctioned by B.M.P. in case
of B.D.A. allotted sites whether new or very old. The reason being that persons
apply to B.D.A. for allotment of site for building their own house. When such
is the case building more than one dwelling unit defeats the purpose for which
the site is allotted. When the owner wants to build one dwelling unit in each
floor for use by his sons I daughters permission is not considered by BMP.
What the
owners do is to show the kitchen on first floor I second floor as store room I study ~ etc. and later
convert the room to provide kitchen. Some officials in the B.M.P. suggest this
idea to applicants who insist on morethan one kitchen in B.D.A. allotted sites.
g) Land
use: Zoning Regulations of the C.D.P. of Bangalore prescribe land
uses like;
residential, commercial, public uses etc. for all the areas covered by the
Plan. This sort of restriction on the land use are imposed by BDA for proper
living conditions. Existing residential buildings are converted to commercial
use along main roads, approach roads to localities, which are nearer to
commercial area, nearer to public use I industrial area etc. Service industries
also come up in such areas. Residential buildings are built in public use zone
I park zone I industrial zone etc. Such violations also take place in other
zones and Green Belt etc.
h)Better
Returns: Violations are made to get more returns. Open areas in bungalows in
the central areas are converted in to shadhi mahals I Kalyana mantaps, halls
for reduction sale etc. Such conversions are observed on Infantry Road, Bowring
Hospital Road etc. Acute parking and traffic problems are observed at these
buildings. Many of factory buildings in the West of Chord Road industrial area
which were incurring losses are converted into kalyana mantaps and as a result
the service roads and other roads where such buildings are located are
experiencing traffic problems.
i) Road
Margins: Road margins are prescribed in the C.D.P. for congested roads to
enable widening at a later date. Majority of the owners of sites encroach on
road margins enforced by B.M.P. It becomes very difficult to widen the roads at
a later stage to ease traffic problems.
j)
Overheads: Some owners of properties are not willing to pay the overheads
demanded by officials for sanction of building plans. They take up
constructions without obtaining sanctions. Such constructions are mostly not in
conformity with the byelaws.
k) Further
Sanctions: If a sanctioned building is constructed with deviations, the
applicants hesitate to approach B.M.P. for sanction for additional
construction. In such cases when they come to know that deviations will be
identified during inspections by officials, they do not make application or
advised by the concerned not to do so for further sanctions. They will have the
blessing of the area officials without sanctions for additional constructions.
Deviations
in considerable number of buildings take place in collusion with area officials
and politicians. Only when neighbours complain; notice is served by some
officials for deviations with wrong advice in many cases to obtain stay orders
from the courts. The matter is not pursued later and the applicants utilize the
deviated constructions as they want.
m) StandingCommittee for Appeals: The Standing Committee for Appeals blatantly issue stay
orders against any legal action on identified deviated portions of buildings
both residential and commercial as per the statement of the Urban Development
Secretary to the Press on 14.08.2003. Number of buildings are built liberally
violating buildings sanctions / byelaws with the confidence that they will
approach Standing Corrunittee and forget any actions by the Mahanagar Palike.
It was stated by the Urban Development Secretary that the Act is proposed to be
amended to put in place ajudicial body as an alternative to the Standing
Committee.
According
to a press report dtd. 05.09.2003, the State Government amended Rules under KMC
ACT 1976 and issued circulars to the city Corporation Commissioner that appeals
against building demolisation order will now come under the purview of the KAT
in Bangalore and District Courts concerned in other corporation area. All
appeals pending with the BMP standing corrunittee on appeal will be transferred
to the KAT.
After
identifying the various types of deviations and the reasons for the same, some
practical suggestions are made to reduce the number of violations.
a) User
friendly byelaws: Building byelaws and zoning regulations of the C.D.P. should
be user friendly and acceptable to the public as far as possible. Adopting
byelaws not suitable to the local conditions is not good. Byelaws should not be
highly technical and should have simple terms so that a common man could easily
understand and follow. I boldly say that some of the provisions are not
understood / properly interpreted by even architects and civil engineers.
b)Committee to prepare byelaws: The corrunittee to prepare byelaws should
comprise of not only technicians but various sections of the public affected by
the byelaws.
c)
Publicity to draft byelaws: The draft byelaws should be given wide publicity.
The media should be involved and comments / suggestions invited. Locality-wise
public meetings should be held involving residents welfare associations and
their views on the byelaws noted.
d)
Periodical revision of byelaws: The byelaws should be revised whenever there is
change in the C.D.P. of the city for mutual conformity of the zoning regulations
and building byelaws. The 1984 Buildings Byelaws are not yet revised by the
B.M.P. Only draft byelaws are now being finalized based on the C.D.P. 1995.
Such delays by B.M.P. will have to be avoided.
e) Easier
and Quicker sanctions The building plans should be sanctioned quickly without
harassment. A panel of technical officials with town planner, architect, and
civil engineer be formed in the B.M.P. to guide and convince the applicants
about the good effects of byelaws for ventilations, avoiding traffic problems
etc. This panel should also co-ordinate with the concerned sections in the
B.M.P. to sanction without delay.
In spite of
all the procedure to have a user friendly building byelaws and simpler
procedure for easier and quicker sanctions, if property owners deliberately
violate from sanctioned plans or build without sanction the punishment should
be severe including imprisonment for severe violations as provided in the
Kamataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 enforced by B.D.A for Bangalore.
Strict enforcement is necessary to curb violations in building constructions.
The following are suggested for reporting of violations and to initiate action
in such cases.
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