Special team to spot illegal changes in flats

Linah Baliga TNN 

Mumbai: The BMC is bolstering its mechanism to detect and demolish unauthorized construction or alterations in a building or apartment by bringing in a team of empowered officials and making them personally responsible for removing them. 
    From this May, at least 65 assistant engineers across all 24 administrative wardsin the city will keep an eye on under-construction buildings and even existing houses for signs of transgressions, issue notices and ensure demolition of unauthorized constructions in a time-bound manner. 
    And for the first time, if these officials fail to demolish unauthorized constructions after they have been detected in their wards, the civic body can slap a fine of Rs 10,000 or send them to prison for three months. 

 Citizens & activists can tip off new BMC team on illegal constructions 
    The BMC has put 65 assistant engineers on duty across all 24 wards to check illegal constructions or modifications in buildings or flats. This has been made possible by amendments made in the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act and the BMC Act by the state government last year. On the basis of the amendments, a circular will be sent to the removal of encroachment (RE), building proposal and building and factories departments of the BMC in the next three days and the assistant engineers will start work full swing from May. 
    “The role of the assistant engineers is to detect unauthorized constructions, issue notices as per provisions of law, hear the parties, pass an order if any structure is unauthorized and subsequently demolish it,” said Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner. 
    An officer will be charged with dereliction of duty if it is seen that a transgression has come to the notice of the designated officer and yet no action has been initiated. 
    “There will be self-detection as well as representation from citizens and activists. The mukadams, sub-engineers and junior engineers of the building proposal department will make daily rounds of their areas and report to the assistant engineers. The assistant engineers will have full power to decide whether a structure is authorized or not and then pass an order. He will then seek assistance and machinery for demolition,” said Adtani. 
    In the sights of the BMC’s bull-dozers are not only builders, but also flat-owners who have made unauthorized alterations to their apartments by enclosing flower beds, ducts or dry areas, knocked down internal walls or surrounded their flats with grills. 
    Adtani told TOI that each administrative ward will have 2-3 assistant engineers, who will be in charge of three councillor wards each. 
    “Whatever is not permitted by the building proposal department becomes an unauthorized construction. The removal of encroachment department will check whether the constructions are in accordance with permissions granted or not. The assistant engineers will be informed accordingly,” said Adtani. 
    When asked whether illegal floors can be regularized by paying a penalty, Adtani said: “If the construction isn’t in accordance with the permission granted, it cannot be regularized. But BMC will not take action against buildings coming up under the purview of the slum rehabilitation authority and the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA).”  

BMC’S DEMOLITION MEN 
65 assistant engineers will start off from May They will sniff out unauthorized constructions Follow up, and, if needed, complete demolition in timebound manner Failure will attract a fine of 10,000 or imprisonment for three months Transgressions by builders and house-owners under scanner Each ward there will be 2-3 assistant engineers Move comes after last year’s amendment to the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act and BMC Act  

THE GAME CHANGER 
Now, BMC has different officers taking action against illegal construction There is no co-ordination From May, assistant engineers will be responsible for all transgressions Sub-engineers, junior engineers, mukadams will alert them. They have to act or face penalty.


Source:::: The Times of India, 03-04-2013, p.01, http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW