Building bylaws being amended to suit builders, alleges council
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, June 22
The All India Consumers Council has said building bylaws in Uttarakhand are being amended hurriedly to suit builders much against the laid-down national building bylaws.
In a press note, Brig KG Behl (retd), president, All India Consumers Council, Uttarakhand, said though it was well known that a major portion of Uttarakhand fell under seismic Zone IV and V where special precautions needed to be taken while raising buildings over 15 m in height. The height of buildings was some time back was restricted to 21 m in Uttarakhand but now these were being raised up to 30 m in height, which is wrong.
Brig Behl urged the Governor and the Chief Minister to immediately look into it and stop such constructions which were against the national bylaws and would create problems in case of calamities which were predicted after the Nepal quake.
Moreover, the width of roads for such constructions has been reduced to 10 feet against the minimum required of 12 m in congested areas as per the national standards. This change has been made at a time when the Dehradun master plan is under consideration.
He said it was surprising that on the basis of roads which were not on the ground multi-storeyed buildings were passed. Now when the buildings have been constructed they are trying to cover up the discrepancies by suitably amending the construction bylaws even before the new master plan is approved.
He said a similar haste was shown in 2007 when the height of buildings was raised from 15 m to 21 m in spite of the case being sub judice. “Amending rules when the case is sub judice and that too in the Supreme Court is illegal,” said Brig Behl.
Brig Behl said giving the nod to tall buildings in congested areas where the road width was 10 foot was very unfortunate as in case of a tragedy it would not be possible to provide assistance as utility vehicles like fire brigade and ambulances, which are normally broader than 10 foot base, will not be able to enter the area. Moreover, to say that those buildings which already exist will be allowed to add more storeys if they take some precautions against earthquakes.
Allowing buildings to be raised up to 30 m in height in the seismicity Zone-V on lesser width of roads will not be justified. It is against the national bylaws and needs to be withdrawn forthwith. It may be added here that in Nainital the height of buildings to be constructed has been reduced to 7.5 m from 11 m, but in Dehradun they are allowing buildings to go up to 30 m.
