To bring transparency in opening the seal of the illegally constructed buildings in the state, the urban development and housing (UDH) department is all set to bring new policy.
After receiving directions from UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal in a recent meeting, the UDH and local self-government (LSG) department will soon issue orders for development authorities, and other urban local bodies.
An official present in the meeting informed, “The government has decided to impose impact fee on illegal buildings to discourage the rampant practice in cities. This fees will be ranging between Rs 100 and Rs 500 depending on the nature of construction. At the time of depositing fees, the violators will also have to submit an affidavit mentioning the time to remove the illegal construction. Following this, after taking permission from head of the civic body, sealed buildings will be opened.”
The government has decided to return the fees to the violators if illegal construction is removed on the date mentioned in the affidavit. However, the civic body will confiscate the fees and demolish the construction using its resources.
The department will also amend the building by-laws after the policy is introduced. 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.
“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,” said a source.
