The Times of India     09.09.2010

JMC eyes big bucks from land use change

JAIPUR: In order to bridge revenue gap, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) is eyeing on making illegally-run commercial ventures across the residential areas in the city into legal entities and thus notices have been served to thousands of land use offenders with a demand note.

As per an estimate ,the civic body wants to collect at least Rs 50 crore in the first phase. Experts and town planners wonder how the civic body could legalise gross violations of provisions of Municipal Act as well as land use governing the city.

CEO, JMC, L C Aswal has directed the revenue department to send notices to all of those who have been running commercial ventures without proper land use change from residential to commercial. The directions also include sending the demand note of outstanding dues to the civic body and collect the entire amount within a time frame. "I have asked them to seize the buildings if they do not pay immediately," said Aswal. The order also threatens the violators of cancellation of their lease deeds if they fail to comply.

The order also include smaller and medium size hotels and restaurants which have come up in the nook and corners of the city to deposit one-time payment first and then get the conversion. These orders many experts see as the desperate attempt of the local body to get the fund and making the illegal acts lawful.

"This would throw the master plan out of the window and the city would be in chaos," said R R Sharma, a former town planner.

Earlier, in response to a Rajsthan High Court order on land use change, the state government had pleaded its inability to tackle the menace as of now. Enforcing building by-laws and land use regulations in the city could evoke a law and order problem," this plea of the state government suggests the magnitude of the problem.

According to an estimate, the city has thousands such properties which have converted their residential areas into commercial venture. When a neighbourhood seeks a redressal against the inconvenience, the local authorities do assure them with a usual one liner-"we would look into the matter".

Admitting the magnitude of the problem, a senior JMC official on Wednesday said the city needs a complete overhaul. "Some areas like Raja Park have become notorious for illegal. In the present situation the civic body cannot do much and thus we have decided to raise revenue."