Urban Planning

‘Go for rainwater harvesting’

Friday, 14 June 2013 05:29 administrator

The Hindu 14.06.2013

‘Go for rainwater harvesting’

A rainwater harvesting structure under construction.

The GHMC has once again appealed to the citizens to avail themselves of its offer of funding 50 per cent cost of Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) in individual residences/apartment complexes and 70 per cent cost for structures taken up in public spaces inside colonies.

Technical assistance will also be provided for building these structures expected to cost between Rs.5,000 and Rs.11,000 for regular sized ones. Interested colony welfare associations or apartment associations can contact the respective deputy municipal commissioners in the local circle offices for taking up RWHS.

West Zone Commissioner S. Aleem Basha told presspersons during a tour of the area to study RWHS that tenders have been called for grounding 1,000 RWHS in the area and last year as many as 1,700 of them were built. The media team was taken to Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and a few other colonies in the vicinity like Gul Mohur Colony, Lakshminagar, Gachibowli, and others where several RWHS were built or are under construction.

Showing the way

Yet, Gul Mohur Colony residents are showing the way for rest of the colonies to emulate. Of the 500 houses spread across 40 acres, the place has 200 RWHS built by the owners and 10 more by the civic body. Similarly, Lakshminagar residents too have constructed 70 RWHS on their own .

Corporation offers to fund 50 p.c. cost in individual house/apartments and 70 p.c. in public spaces inside colonies.

Layout approval must for non-residential projects

Friday, 14 June 2013 05:24 administrator

The Hindu 14.06.2013

Layout approval must for non-residential projects

T. Lalith Singh

Proposal made to ensure successful implementation of the Master Plan and planned development of city

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), in a major decision, has decided to bring non-residential developments also under the mandatory site layout approvals in projects to be taken up under its jurisdiction. A proposal has already been sent to the government for approval and a nod is expected soon.

Till now, the Layout Based Approval System has been applicable for according permissions to development of residential layouts . The present approach for permission related to group residential development follows scrutiny of layouts while for non-residential group development as in industries, institutions and commercial, the examination is just limited to Building Permission. The HMDA feels that non-insistence or scrutiny of the layout of non-residential development as in housing was not conducive for planned development, road network, open spaces and integrating the Master Plan proposals.

Group developments

The Metropolitan Commissioner, Neerabh Kumar Prasad, argues that for successful implementation of the Master Plan and planned development of the city, there is a need to scrutinise all group developments, whether they are residential or non-residential, by way of site layout approval along with building permissions.

However, the proposal looks at covering group developments above 4,000 square metres only and not insisting on site layout for smaller sites i.e., plots below 4,000 square metres. “For the smaller sites, the present practice of according building permission should be adequate,” says an official. The HMDA proposal awaiting a nod from the government looks at insisting on site layout for factors such as internal circulation plan, parking requirements, service and utility plan and provision of open space.

Rain harvesting pit must for new houses

Thursday, 13 June 2013 07:41 administrator

Deccan Chronicle 13.06.2013

Rain harvesting pit must for new houses

Picture for representational purpose only.

Hyderabad: Citizens acquiring a house or building one have to first construct a rain water harvesting (RWH) pit in their plots and then apply for permission to build one. Cantonment authorities, who failed to get builders in tow and construct RWH pits as shown in their building plans at the time of approval, have decided to make it mandatory for people to first build the pit.

This rule will apply to buildings that are constructed henceforth. The cantonment officials will inspect the plot after the plot owner or developer submits the building plan and approve it only if the plot had an RWH pit that was operational.

The SCB took the decision at a meeting on Wednesday chaired by its president Brigadier Sunil Bodhe. The SCB took serious note of officials who failed to give a clear reply on the work they had done to inspect existing buildings nor listing the RWH pits that were functional.

The brigadier had directed the officials to launch a door-to-door campaign to verify and list those owners and builders who had constructed RWH pits as shown in the building plan they had submitted to the SCB.

Brig. Bodhe warned that he would place the officials under suspension if it was found that they had not implemented the directions given by the Board at its earlier meeting. “I will make surprise inspections,” he said.

The Board also approved the octroi and toll tax contract and decided to constitute a committee to review and revise property tax rates to be levied on commercial and residential buildings in the Cantonment limits.

Illegal constructions to attract penalties

Wednesday, 12 June 2013 10:42 administrator

The New Indian Express 12.06.2013

The state government has decided to crack the whip on unauthorised constructions by levying stiff penalties on builders by amending relevant sections of the Acts.

As per the bill introduced by MAUD minister M Maheedhar Reddy in the Assembly on Tuesday, for unauthorised floors over and above the permitted number of floors in a sanctioned plan or for total unauthorised construction, the penalty will be equal to total property tax.

The municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department has decided to amend the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporations Act 1955, AP Municipalities Act 1965, Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Act 1979, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Act 1981 and the AP Municipal Corporations Act 1994 in this regard.

Corporations and municipalities will be empowered to levy 25 percent of the property tax as penalty up to 10 percent violation of permissible setbacks only in respect of floors permitted in a sanctioned plan.

In a situation where more than 10 percent violations of permissible setbacks exist only in respect of floors permitted in a sanctioned plan, 50 percent of the property tax will be levied as penalty.

Similarly, for unauthorised floors over permitted floors in a sanctioned plan or for total unauthorised construction, 100 percent of property tax as penalty will be levied.

On the issue of limitation for recovery of property tax dues, corporations should not make distraint, no prosecution should be commenced and no suit be instituted in respect of any sum due to the corporation after the expiration of three years from the date on which distraint was made or after the expiration of six years from the date on which prosecution will be commenced or to provide limitation for recovery of property tax by filing civil suit up to nine years from the date when the tax becomes due.

The proposed amendment will also provide a rebate of 5 percent of property tax in respect of assessments where property tax for the entire current financial year is paid before April 30 as an incentive.

Also to provide a time limit of 90 days from the commencement of the half-year for payment of property tax without levying a simple interest.

The meetings of the corporation will now be held once in every three months and minutes of the corporation should be signed by the presiding authority.

The general body of civic body can now authorise works worth Rs 5 crore (now the limit is Rs 2 crore). Besides, the standing committee will now be empowered to clear works which have a net value of up to Rs 2 crore (Rs 50 lakh) and the commissioner Rs 50 lakh (Rs 20 lakh).

Ferozepur Road: Sealed buildings submit parking plans to civic body

Tuesday, 11 June 2013 10:34 administrator

The Indian Express 11.06.2013

Ferozepur Road: Sealed buildings submit parking plans to civic body

Three prominent business establishments — Park Plaza hotel, KP building complex and Olivia complex — situated on Freozepur Road submitted their parking plans before the Municipal Corporation through their advocate Harpreet Sandhu on Monday. The basements of these buildings were sealed by the Municipal Corporation on May 10 because they were being used for commercial activities instead of providing parking space.

Park Plaza has earmarked 10,800 square feet area of its basement as parking area. In the year 1992, 10,461 square feet area of the basement was shown as parking space which otherwise was being used for commercial purposes. KP building and Olivia complex have converted the whole basement into parking area as per the plan submitted to the corporation which was earlier being used for commercial activities, said the advocate. The owners have requested the authorities to open the seal of their buildings.

The basements were sealed following the High Court order on April 30. On May 29, the High Court had asked the respective building owners to submit their parking plans with the Municipal Corporation, which would decide after four days of submission of plans whether to open the seal or not.

MC officials have already done one inspection each in the newly formed parking areas of the sealed buildings. Advocate Sandhu asked the MC authorities to de-seal the buildings so that the construction work of parking area could be completed soon.

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