The Hindu         25.11.2011

Master Plan for Mangalore revised

Raviprasad Kamila

Sanction for many building plans becomes invalid if work has not been started

Zonal regulations of Master Plan II for Mangalore Local Planning Area have been revised again for the second time.

The Government issued a notification to this effect on October 26, 2011.

The
notification is likely to land persons who have obtained licence from
Mangalore Urban Development Authority and Mangalore City Corporation for
constructing buildings but have not begun work.

It
was because such persons would have to obtain “fresh sanction” as per
the revised regulations as old ones would become null and void.

A clause in the notification (S.No. 12 , Page 19), a copy of which is available with
The Hindu
, reads: “Only authorised buildings constructed/commenced prior to
coming into force of these regulations shall be treated as existing
buildings.

“If the construction of a building has not
commenced at the time of coming into force of these regulations, even
though sanctioning for construction was availed under any previous
provisions of the zonal regulations, such construction shall commence
only after getting fresh sanction under these regulations.”

No apartments

A
prominent addition in the revised regulations was that it had banned
constructing apartments on plots abutting roads which were less than six
metres wide.

A clause to this effect had been added
under “setbacks” category (Page 29, No. 4). It reads: “Apartment
buildings shall not be permitted on plots abutting roads of existing
width less than six metres.”

Parking

Another
main addition was regarding parking facility in non-residential
buildings. A new clause (S. No. 19.9, page 42) has been added in
“parking requirements category”.

Accordingly, in
non-residential buildings (read as commercial) if parking space was not
enough “the owner of the plot may pay the local authority” parking fees
for shortage of parking of the requirement. The local authority should
use it for constructing multi-level car parking facility “in the
vicinity”.

Under the revised norms, the definition of
high-rise building has been changed. Any building having a height of 15
metres and above comes under the high-rise category.

S.
No. 13 (Page 19) under “land use zones” makes it clear that in Coastal
Regulatory Zone areas the uses permissible under the CRZ regulations
shall be applicable irrespective of the land use prescribed in the
Master Plan. This aspect was not clear in the first revision.

Some changes (page no. 21) have been made in floor area ratio of buildings.

The
government revised the zonal regulations for the first time through a
notification on May 5, 2011. The Master Plan II had come into effect
from October 1, 2009.

The latest notification issued
last month says the zonal regulations have been revised as Mangalore
Urban Development Authority has proposed certain modifications. The
regulations have been revised under Section 13-E of the Karnataka Town
and Country Planning Act, 1961.