KOLKATA: The KMC buildings department on Friday decided to sanction a building plan for construction on a 410 sq ft plot. Usually, the minimum plot size on which a building can be approved is 1 cottah or 720 sq ft. At times, even that is not enough if KMC building rules on mandatory open space are applied strictly.
The decision to approve the building plan on the mini plot was taken at a mayor-in-council meeting on Friday. Construction on such small plots is usually impossible as there is hardly any construction space left if one has to leave open space at the sides, front and rear. However, the rules were relaxed in this instance as had been announced by the mayor to discourage unauthorised construction on small plots.
The MiC meeting took stock of the hassles faced by the owner of the 10 chhatak (410 sq ft) plot on Middle Road (intersection of Garfa and Survey Park) who had applied to the KMC buildings department for sanction of a two-storey building plan. “After considering the land owner’s plight, we decided to relax building rules to offer the relief,” said Hakim.
According to local councillor Tarakeswar Chakraborty, who took the initiative to plead the case for the Middle Road plot owner, besides this plot, there are at least six other small plots of equal size across three wards awaiting building plan approval from KMC. “I will help the plot owners under my borough if they come forward and submit building plans for sanction,” said Chakraborty.
Struggling to prevent the construction of illegal buildings across the city, many of which are tilting for not adhering to basic safety rules, the KMC buildings department also plans to amend its building rules to incorporate such relaxation for small plots. To begin with, the civic body will bring all colony and thika land under this special scheme. If the response is good, the facility will be extended to other parts of the city.
The relaxations will be given to those who possess plots of 350 sq ft to 2,100 sq ft. However, this leeway will be applicable to only those plot owners who take the help of an architect or structural engineer and submit a detailed plan. The foundation of the building has to be done under the watchful lens of a KMC empanelled structural engineer.
A KMC buildings department official said a draft is being prepared incorporating the proposed change in building rules, which will soon be sent to the state municipal affairs department for necessary approval. An official said, “Citizens, who are afraid of adhering to rules and don’t want to part with their land due to its small size, land in trouble as these buildings are constructed in the absence of a structural engineer’s watch. There is a possibility that promoters may take advantage of this by using inferior construction materials.”
