Illegal construction: KMC to amend existing building rules for ‘stricter punishment’

‘Landowners & promoters, to get 10 years of rigorous imprisonment...’

KOLKATA: To figure out a proper solution to rein in illegal constructions in the city, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), is learnt to have compiled draft rules that seek to add teeth to the punishment clause under the KMC Act for unauthorised constructions.

Recently, the KMC suspended three engineers in relation to the Garden Reach under-construction building collapse case which killed 13 persons living in the surrounding shanties. Now, it is learnt the civic body has drafted new rules in consultation with its several departments. The new rule will seek to punish offenders, including land owners and promoters, with 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for illegal construction, if such charges are proved.

Even as the mayor Firhad Hakim has not yet commented on the matter, probably due to the Model Code of Conduct in effect due to the elections, it is reportedly learnt that the civic body is sending the draft rules to the state government for approval.

Once the state gives the nod, the Law department of KMC will prepare the Bill that will be introduced in the state Assembly in a bid to amend the existing rules to include the new provisions. This is likely to be passed in the monsoon session of the assembly after the elections. The civic body believes that such severe penalties will make developers and landowners think twice before indulging in illegal construction.

Millennium Post had reported in February about such a measure being contemplated by KMC as no major changes were made to the building rules of the KMC for the last several years but new challenges have emerged over the years and need to be tackled keeping in mind the present-day situation. It was learnt that the amendment will also seek to plug the loopholes in the existing rules which are being exploited.