Completion certificate to be made mandatory for power connections

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 26

Those who have violated bylaws while constructing their buildings may soon face the music as Municipal Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khehra has written to the Punjab Local Bodies Department to make completion certificate mandatory for getting an electricity connection for the new buildings.

While stating this, Khehra said he had mooted a proposal and if accepted, it would put an end to the violation of building bylaws in the city. “Without power, the building will be useless for residential or commercial purpose.”

He added that the state government was contemplating to implement it and it might be launched in phases.

“To begin with, the state government can make it mandatory for commercial buildings and later may include residential buildings as well,” said Khehra.

While applauding the move, Local Bodies director Kamal Kishore Yadav said though the provision was already there, people initially take a temporary connection. Later, they get it converted to a permanent one.

“We have already directed all municipal commissioners in the state to identify buildings with violations of building bylaws and also those who have not attained completion certificates. Also, to tell building owners to get it compounded if possible or otherwise get ready to face action,” Yadav said.

He said a drive had already been initiated in the state in this regard and strict action would be taken against defaulters, along with the imposition of penalty.

With a majority of the RTIs pertaining to the construction of illegal buildings, the MC is in a mood to take tough stand against defaulters. As per Khehra, lists are being prepared of prominent buildings, including the 58 structures which were constructed during the regime of former local bodies minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh.