BHUBANESWAR: Days after the Supreme Court ordered demolition of two 40-storey towers in Noida over violation of building norms, activists fighting for the rights of home buyers have alleged inaction on part of the State government and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) against such illegal high-rises in the city.
Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) activist Bimalendu Pradhan demanded that the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department and BDA should take a cue from the case and initiate swift action. Though the government had informed the State Assembly earlier this year about demolition order against 200 illegal buildings and high-rises, steps are yet to be taken in this regard, he alleged.
Replying to a question of Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati in March, H&UD Minister Pratap Jena had informed the Assembly that 487 out of 1,643 approved high-rises and buildings in the Capital have been declared illegal.
He had also stated that direction has been issued for demolition of 200 apartments in the city. This apart, a majority of residential and commercial buildings including some structures constructed by the BDA lack occupancy certificate, alleged a member from Federation of Odisha Apartment Associations. Meanwhile, home buyers in the city have demanded immediate steps for transfer of ownership of land to the associations.