The Times of India              11.07.2013

Surat Municipal Corporation starts demolishing illegal construction in old city

SURAT: The world's fourth fastest growing city also has the distinction of having maximum illegal construction in the state. Hundreds of such buildings in Surat's central zone or old city have now come under scanner.

In the last one week, officials of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) demolished illegal construction added to existing buildings at seven sites in areas like Gopipura, Mahidaharpura and Sagrampura.

"We are touching only those buildings that are commercial in nature and have come up in gross violation of law. In these cases developers have built two more floors above permitted limits and are planning to sell them at commercial prices," said an executive engineer of the central zone office of SMC.

Officials say that the reason why such construction has come up is lack of space in old city areas that has been coupled with greed of developers to earn mega bucks from small spaces available.

Manish Doctor, town development officer (TDO) while referring to illegal construction done in residential buildings said, "Under the old law, we used to grant Floor Space Index (FSI) of 3 in old city area. This meant that people got ground plus two or ground plus three floor plans sanctioned with the ground floor meant for parking. But the expansion of families and inability to purchase land elsewhere has made people resort to go in for illegal construction vertically." This situation exists at large in the old city areas.

However, SMC is presently eyeing only those developers or builders who are trying to make a quick buck by constructing floors illegally in business areas.

"It is true that developers get less space in the old city but above all it is the greed and attitude of commercial builders has led to such a situation in Surat," said Jivan Patel, director of planning at SMC.