RAJKOT: Property developers in Rajkot will hold a protest against the stagnation in projects after the TRP Game Zone fire in May. The Rajkot Builder Association (RBA) told mediapersons that administrative inaction is responsible for the situation.
A rally will be held in the city, with the participation of developers, revenue law practitioners, material suppliers, contractors and real estate agents, to protest the stance of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and Rajkot Urban Development Authority (RUDA).
The RBA claims new officers appointed to the town planning departments of RMC and RUDA after the fire lack expertise in town planning and the General Development Control Regulations (GDCR).
Paresh Gajera, RBA president, said, “We believed these people were fresh and would take a couple of months to understand everything and everything would become smooth. The situation worsened as the time passed. We believe that they issued new notifications to not approve building plans.” The association highlighted challenges faced by developers in getting project approval and completion certification.
Despite multiple representations to the town planning officer, municipal commissioner and state govt, these issues remain unresolved. “We got an assurance that the issue would be resolved but nothing has changed and to register our protest we have organized a rally on Monday. The other stakeholders associated with the real estate sector will join this rally.”
The situation affects not only builders but various sectors and the public. RMC has lost approximately Rs 100 crore in FSI revenue, while govt revenue has decreased due to properties not being registered. Gajera noted, “After the TRP Game Zone fire, 32 plans for buildings of heights greater than 25 metres were submitted to RMC, of which only two have been approved and one got the completion certificate. Before this impasse, an average of eight to 10 plans would be approved by the RMC. The process has become long and the concept of ease of doing business is nowhere to be seen.”
Sources said that after the TRP Game Zone fire, regulations for completion certificates and development plan approvals have been made more stringent, with the administration not allowing even minor alterations in high-rise buildings, leading to the current impasse.
New jantri set to make houses 30% dearer
The RBA expressed opposition to the proposed new jantri rates. They claim the state govt has suggested increases ranging from 200% to 2,000%. The association requests more time to submit objections to these proposed rates and wants physical submission options at district headquarters. According to the RBA, the new jantri rates will raise residential and commercial property prices by 30% in developing areas.
