Chandigarh, Janaury 23
The finance department has drafted the Chandigarh Administration (erection and e-erection of buildings) Rules for villages falling under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation to ensure regulated growth in the villages.
The issue has gained importance in the wake of the changed population graph and new settlements in UT villages and colonies. The existing scenario presents rampant building violations and illegal hotel, motel and allied business establishments.
The streets lack uniformity in layout plans. The rules will apply to Kajheri, Badheri, Attawa, Hallo Majra and Dadu Majra villages.
Confirming the development, Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar said last-minute clearances on certain issues were being worked out for a unified area code.
This was relevant in the context of regulating existing violations and planning for the future growth of the city. He said the rules would be notified shortly.
These villages were under the jurisdiction of the corporation and therefore, development therein needed to be in coordination with existing rules in sector layouts.
An important issue in the draft regulations underlined a building line as a regulatory boundary for each road, street and lane.
A casual visit to these villages showed imprints of unregulated traffic on narrow streets, which were often narrower still with shopkeepers bundling their exhibits on roads.
The draft regulations made a special mention of certain buildings being dangerous because of anomalies in construction or lack of proper maintenance. The regulations clearly provided that “no person shall commence the erection or re-erection of any building without previous sanction of the building plan from the competent authority”.
It had been common practice to go in for new construction without seeking permission, resulting in haphazard construction.
It was laid out that no industrial activity would be permitted in these villages, except the existing household industry.
No obnoxious trade or non-conforming use causing nuisance or detrimental to health or the environment would be allowed.
Sanjay Kumar said, “It is mandatory to provide for solar water heating systems in public and commercial buildings and we will make concerted efforts to ensure that this bylaw is implemented.”
No one could erect any mobile tower without getting permission of the competent authority and no mobile tower would be allowed in residential buildings.
There was also a provision that if residents of an entire street surrendered 1.37 metres on both sides of a street, the owners would be allowed to construct an extra floor.