The Indian Express 12.08.2012
PCMC to blacklist builders & architects for illegal structures
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has decided to blacklist builders and architects who set up illegal structures in the town.
Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi told Newsline on Saturday that the names of the black-listed builders and architects will be put up on PCMC website and at Citizens Facilitation Centres.
“Basically, small-time builders indulge in illegal constructions. They rake in money to get more projects. We will post the names of such builders on our website so that public is aware of them,” he said.
Pardeshi said that the administration will not allow such builders and architects to work in the industrial town. “Their projects won’t be approved,” he said.
He said the details of the authorised properties and plots reserved in the development plan will be also posted on the official website. “The common man is unaware of complexities of investing in real estate. If a person buys a property and if it turns out to be an illegal, he incurs huge losses. The civic administration is therefore preparing a list of structures that have been built and those that are in construction stages,” he said. PCMC will also post the names of builders and the sanctioned projects on the website.
Pardeshi reiterated that the administration was determined to pull down illegal structures that came up after March 31, 2012. He, however, said they have sent a proposal to the state government to explore the possibility of regularising some of the structures that came up before March 31, 2012. “The state government is already considering such a proposal. We have suggested to extend gunthewari scheme, allow 2.5 FSI and relaxtion in development control rules,” he said.
Rubbishing charges that he was buckling under pressure from three NCP MLAs - laxman Jagtap, Vilas Lande and Anna Bansode, Pardeshi said, “The MLAs had demanded 4 FSI. But we have mooted 2.5 FSI,” he said.
“We are acting against illegal structures on the directives of the high court...There is no pressure on us from any quarters,” he said. The three MLAs had staged a protest outside the state assembly recently.
Civic officials said efforts are also under way to regularise illegal structures that came up before March 31, 2012 by imposing fine on them. “Besides some suggestions made PCMC administration, imposing fine to regularise structures is also one of the options being considered by the civic body as well as the state government,” officials said.
PCMC chief said as of now they are targetting 937 illegal structures that came up after March 31, 2012. The drive began on Wednesday at Dighi where residents resorted to heavy stone-pelting. Pardeshi said they have sought help from the State Reserve Police Force for carrying out the drive. “As and when we get police bandbost, we will carry out the demolition drive,” he said.
The issue of illegal constructions has been raging in Pimpri-Chinchwad for over two years now. A resident had approach Bombay High Court following which the court asked PCMC to issue notices against illegal structures and subsequently demolish them. It was found that over one lakh structures were illegal in town.
