SELF-CERTIFY BUILDINGS SOON IN TELANGANA

The proposed self-certification system for building permits under the new Municipalities Act in the state, the Telangana State Building Project Approval and Self-certification System (TS-BPASS), will simplify permission seeking with provisions of deemed approvals. But anyone deviating from the plans will face severe punishment, be it in terms of demolition — without any prior notice — of buildings in violation of submitted plans, Municipal Administration & Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao has said.

“When we repose faith in the people, we believe that they will use the service properly. This is participatory governance. But the Act also provides for severe penalties for those who exploit the self-certification process including fines of up to 25 times the property tax owed on such a building not to mention the risk of no-notice demolitions,” Rama Rao said on Thursday.

He also said the government was determined to implement the Act with full vigour to achieve the desired results. It’s pilot implementation in GHMC and HMDA raised some issues such as the need for approvals on paper to enable people receive construction loans from banks. Such issues will be attended to when the implementation of the Act is rolled out, he said.

Rama Rao said once the elections to the municipalities are over this month, he will be focusing on development of urban areas of the State for the next four years. He said training classes will be held for elected representatives, and MA&UD and civic body officials on the Act, rights and responsibilities for its effective implementation. “We can achieve Pattana Pragati on the lines of successes in the Palle Pragati programme,” he said.

THE GOVERNMENT is determined to implement the new Municipalities Act with full vigour to achieve the desired results.