DTCP proposes to raise penalties for violators of building norms

To curb violations of building norms by property owners, the department of town and country planning(DTCP) has proposed to increase the penalties manifold to ensure

To curb violations of building norms by property owners, the department of town and country planning(DTCP) has proposed to increase the penalties manifold to ensure strong deterrence. In a proposal submitted by DTCP, Gurugram, to its headquarters in Chandigarh, the department has also called for increasing the penalty for home owners, who misuse their premises for commercial purposes.

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The letter written by department proposes that penalty for misusing residential premises for commercial purposes should be raised from ₹630 per square metres to ₹6,778 per square metres (sq m). It has also proposed that the bank guarantee furnished by the owner for a period of one year should be raised from ₹1,260 per sq m to ₹13,557 sq m.

DTCP officials said earlier there were no provisions for penalising home owners, who made additions and alterations or indulged in excess coverage and zoning violations in plotted colonies after obtaining the occupancy certificate(OC). Officials could have only demanded a restoration of the violations.

RS Bhath, district town planner, Gurugram, said that the department has now proposed that apart from removing violations, they propose to impose penalty at the rate of ₹1,260 per sq m on plot area. The bank guarantee, which has to be furnished for a year, has been proposed at ₹1,260 per sq m on plot area.

The department has also proposed that shop owners in commercial complexes, who encroach common areas, there shall be a deterrent penalty of ₹1,260 per sq m.

“The purpose of these measures is to ensure that property owners, who engage in repeated violations, such as operating guest houses and building beyond permissible limits, are deterred” said RS Bhath, district town planner.