UD officials not pleased with new DC Rules that seek to curb corruption
Mumbai The revised Development Control Rules that were presented by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to the state government on Tuesday, which are likely to add Rs 600 crore to civic coffers annually, have met with some reservations from officials in the Urban Development Department.
The presentation of the revised DCR was made to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan by Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar. The BMC chief has attempted to put a cap on builders’ profit margins by charging them premium for building aspects that are currently not charged under the Floor Space Index (FSI).
The revised rules state that a premium of 100 per cent as per the stamp duty ready reckoner rate should be charged for projections that are being given away free of FSI. Amongst the finer points in the proposal, Kumar intends to do away with additional sops given to the developers. Typically, builders get additional features in the building proposal plan which are free of FSI and then charge the buyers for this super built-up area. These features include refuge floors, flower beds, balconies, duct etc which will now be counted in the FSI and the builder will have to pay a premium to the civic body for the same.
For residential buildings, a maximum 25 per cent area free of FSI with premium of 100 per cent based on ready reckoner rate has been proposed; for industrial buildings, 15 per cent area free of FSI with a premium of 125 per cent; and for commercial buildings, including shopping malls, a maximum of 10 per cent area free of FSI with a premium of 150 per cent, said a civic official on condition of anonymity.
However, officials in the UD said if such a high premium is levied on builders, they will eventually offload it on the buyer. “Instead of regularising by charging a premium, these irregularities should be monitored,” said a top UD official.
It has also been proposed that excess parking should be counted in FSI. Under the new draft, buildings below 70 metres and less than 500 sq metre can be allowed only one staircase, said sources.
The proposal suggests that the money received out of this premium will help BMC compensate for the loss of Rs 1,000 crore that it earns out of additional .33 FSI in suburbs, which the state plans to scrap. The official said that Kumar conveyed to Chavan that he had three meetings with the Maharahstra Chamber of Housing Industry where the latter supported the BMC’s proposal.
Chavan issued a statement saying that the Congress Party has taken a decision to scrap discretionary powers rested with officials and ministers. “In this light, a decision to simplify and make the processes transparent will be taken,” he said.