Urban News

Without getting the approval for the building plan from the Municipal Corporation, the Shree Durga Mata Mandir Trust Jagraon is all set to start its air-conditioned charitable hospital in the Durga Mata Mandir near Jagraon Bridge from Wednesday.

The hospital will function from the 6,000 square-feet basement in the temple premises and provide OPD services in dental, eyes and pathology. Interestingly, the hospital does not have any parking facility. Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia is expected to inaugurate the hospital on Wednesday.

Municipal Town Planner Hemant Batra, however, termed the construction as valid. “The basement has been there for many years. Only the usage has been changed now.”

Batra said he had not approved of any construction plan inside the basement and hence cannot comment whether it was against the rules or not.

Sources, however, confirmed that the basement was meant for parking and any building below 10 feet of the road is against the norms. Moreover, the temple is situated on a busy road. With a new hospital in its vicinity, it would add to the rush on the already congested road.

P L Singla, convener of the Shree Durga Mata Mandir Hospital, said this will not increase the congestion on the road. “The OPD service will be over by 2 pm. We are providing health care at affordable rates. It is a service to the society.” He maintained that due permission was taken from the corporation.

Earlier, the MC had categorically stated that basements were meant for parking only.

Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, however, said, “The temple will provide OPD services in the existing basement which has been converted into a charitable dispensary.” When pointed out that others go in for similar changes, he said, “I will check with the Buildings department.”

Meanwhile, MC Commissioner A K Sinha said he was not yet aware of the rules and will get it checked. Interestingly, the MC authorities did not ask the temple management to get their plan approved and the entire machinery will be open to the public tomorrow.

PCMC fire brigade chief Kiran Gawde said it was decided that new fire safety norms would be applicable from April 1. “But due to procedural delays we have not been able to finalise the norms. We are yet to finalise the licence agenicies for annual maintennce contract. Once this is finalised, from next month, the revised norms would be implemented,” he said.

Gawde said the annual maintenance contract was being made compuslory as the fire department has noticed that in case of commercial buildings, the fire norms were not been adhered to strictly. “In some commercial buildings, there were hurdles to ensure safety of the occupants in case of a fire. For instance, staircases are blocked by material which prevents people from escaping,” he said.

Gawde said the annual maintenance contract will have to be signed with authorised licensing agencies. “The process of finalising the licensing agencies is in the final stages. We expect both commercial and residential buildings to sign fire safety contracts with these agencies.”

As for norms for 70-metre tall buildings, Gawde said such buildings will have to set up “refuge” rooms where people can take shelter in case of a fire breakout. “A refuge room will have to be the size of one flat. In 70-metre tall buildings, there should be two refuge rooms,” Gawde said. 

PCMC deputy city engineer Vasant Kachi said the exact figure of the number of commercial and residential buildings in town are not available with the office currently. “But any building above 15-metre height needs an NoC from fire brigade,” he said.

Revised norms
* Existing as well as new buildings should have annual maintenance contract for fire safety
* Move after fire department find commercial buildings not strictly adhering to fire safety norms
* Annual maintenance contract will have to signed with authorised licencing agencies
* 70-metre-tall buildings should have refuge rooms, where people can take shelter in case of a fire breakout