New buildings in Bangalore’s busiest areas are circumventing fire safety regulations by building many floors under the ground.
Inquiring into a complaint against a building on Subedar Chatram Road in Gandhinagar, Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi found that many buildings avoid the mandatory fire services department no-objection certificate by keeping just under the stipulated ‘high-rise’ height.
Taking serious note, Justice Adi has directed the BBMP commissioner to submit a report on enforcement of building by-laws in ‘Belt One’ areas such as Chikpet, Gandhinagar, and Upparpet.
Under zonal regulations, a building with a height of 12 to 15 metres must have a setback of 5 metres all around the building.
The setback is 6 metres for buildings higher than 15 metres and less than 18 metres. In the case of the building at Subedar Chatram Road, the BBMP has permitted a height of 14 metres and 95 cm, just 5 cm short of 15 metres.
“In reality, the height is just 2 inches less than 15 metres. The setback around the building in the plan approved by the BBMP is just 2.5 metres. The plan has been approved for three basements below the ground level, and seven floors in all,” Justice Adi said.
According to a master plan, Bangalore is divided into 47 planning districts and the central part is called ‘Belt One’ and includes Akkipet, Chikpet, and Gandhinagar.
Gandhinagar is densely populated with a floating population of several lakhs. Over time, new shopping complexes and high-rises have come up in violation of building laws.
“Even in this congested area, the BBMP has allowed transfer of development rights, compromising the setback area,” Justice Adi has stated in his letter to the BBMP commissioner.
The Upalokayukta has directed the BBMP commissioner to submit a report in this regard by March 22.
“Going by by-laws framed by the BBMP, any building with ground plus four floors is treated as a high-rise and must necessarily get an NOC from the fire services department. Even in case of conflict between zonal regulations and building by-laws, rules for citizens’ safety should be enforced,” Justice Adi said.