In a first, the urban development and housing (UDH) has decided impose impact fee on illegal buildings to discourage the rampant practice in cities.
The decision was taken in the building bylaws expert committee meeting chaired by the UDH principal secretary this week. Once the concept is introduced, owners of commercial properties that violate the building bylaws will have to pay penalty every year.
But for residential properties, a one-time impact fee will be imposed. An official said, “ The proposal has been given approval by the expert committee on Tuesday. The rates will be fixed after receiving a nod from the UDH minister.”
The department will also amend the building by-laws after the approval. An official informed, the Rajasthan court had earlier asked the government to discourage the practice of regularising illegal constructions and ordered to impose heavy penalty on such buildings. It was also directed to raze or seal the illegal construction. However, the state government filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the high court order claiming it would involve largescale demolition.
The move is expected to curb the illegal practices in the city including zero setback construction, covering parking areas and open spaces. Sources said in the previous government, the department had constituted a four-member committee to frame rules and regulations for sealing and opening illegal buildings in all municipal corporations, urban improvement trust (UIT) and development authorities. However, the committee failed to function effectively.
An official at the Jaipur Development Authority said, “Majority of the big commercial buildings constructed during the past two decades have not adhered to the maps approved by the Building Planning Committee (BPC). There is a provision by which JDA can check the construction site of private developers after approving the maps. However, officials due to shortage of staff, did not follow the routine. The new system is excepted to eradicate this practice.”
Sources further said, “As per the model building bylaws 2014, for illegal construction, a penalty was proposed on a plot size less than 500 sq yard was Rs 1 lakh and for plot size more than 500 square yard was be Rs 2 lakh. But, was comparatively lesser than other cities and not implemented on all the defaulters.”