Ludhiana MC panel sticks to 2014 CLU, EDC rates, rejects 2017 changes

Ludhiana: A municipal corporation (MC) committee set up to take a decision on change of land use (CLU) and external development charges (EDC) in the city, has decided to continue with rates notified in 2014, rejecting rates issued by the state government in 2017.

The decision will benefit people getting building plans approved for residential buildings but will prove to be expensive for those seeking permissions to build commercial properties

A meeting of the committee was held at Zone D of the municipal corporation (MC) on Tuesday in which the MC commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar also participated.

Earlier the committee accused the building branch of imposing rates from which builders would benefit even when the 2017 rates were rejected by the MC general house in 2017.

Members of the committee, councillors Mamta Ashu, Dr Jai Prakash, Gagandeep Singh (Sunny) Bhalla among others said, “As per the rates issued by the state government in 2017, the charges for getting commercial plans approved were reduced while rates of getting residential plans approved were increased. The house had rejected the rates issued by the state government and a committee was formed by mayor Balkar Sandhu to take a final decision on the same. The committee has stood by the decision of house and rates issued in 2014 would be applicable in the entire city.”

The proceedings of the committee meeting will now be tabled in the general house meeting and then forwarded to the local bodies department for final approvals.

“MC chief Brar has also been asked to take action against the officials who have imposed different rates for approving building plans in the past,” Ashu said.

Construction of illegal buildings: Making officials accountable

Ashu said that the building branch of the MC took action against owners of illegal buildings only when the building violations were brought to the notice of senior officials or councillors. MC chief Brar had been asked to fix the responsibility of officials and action should also be taken against the building inspector or assistant town planner concerned in case of any illegal construction in the area.

“Illegal multi-storey buildings have been constructed in Feroze Gandhi Market and near Chand Cinema in the past.Additional commissioner Rishipal Singh has been directed to inquire into the matter and has also been asked to inquire into the role of the municipal town planner (MTP) Monica Anand.