In response to complaints regarding significant irregularities in the use of residential buildings for commercial activities without proper authorization, which emerged in New Town last year, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) has issued stop-operation notices to 69 such buildings following inspections.
Currently, the authorities are performing a block-wise evaluation of nearly 1,000 buildings that were previously flagged for allegedly exceeding the permitted 40% space allocation for commercial purposes or for conducting business in residential properties without valid authorization. Officials indicated that in late 2024, approximately 1,200 buildings were identified based on complaints of potential violations stemming from a survey.
“After the initial identification of these buildings, inspections were conducted in phases, resulting in a reduction of suspected buildings to around 1,000, as some businesses ceased operations immediately and others made necessary corrections.
Following these phase-wise inspections, significant irregularities were confirmed in 69 buildings, to which notices have been issued as of February this year,” stated an official. Officials further noted that a comprehensive block-specific survey and assessment is currently underway for each suspected building to evaluate its usage, with the authorities anticipating the release of a definitive figure regarding the exact number of building use violations within the next two to three months.
Until mid-last year, NKDA directly granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to interested parties wishing to utilize portions of residential buildings for commercial purposes. However, after receiving numerous complaints about serious violations and to curb further infractions, NKDA began issuing provisional no-objection certificates starting in September of last year for a six-month duration, during which applicants are required to submit all relevant documents and licenses.
Only after this submission is the final NOC granted to the respective applicant. To date, the authorities have issued provisional no-objection certificates to eight applicants, with five of them having received the final NOC after providing all necessary documentation, according to officials.
