Experts frown at BDA’s lack of ‘FAR’ sight

MASTER PLAN 2015
Experts frown at BDA’s lack of ‘FAR’ sight
Deccan Herald

Bangalore is headed for more chaos, going by experts’ opinions on the far-reaching consequences of the proposed increase in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in buildings.

Master Plan 2015 (the revised Comprehensive Development Plan), put together by the Bangalore Development Authority, envisages doubling the FAR allowed in different areas, which could well mean that match-box buildings will line narrow streets. Particularly in core areas, this could defeat orderly development.

FAR refers to the amount of built-up area in a given plot of land. Until now, it used to range from 0.75 to 1.75 — for instance, in a 60*40 site (2,400 sq feet), if 1 FAR is allowed, that means the owner can build up to 2,400 sq feet in that site (leaving setbacks on all sides, he could build ground and first floors of 1,200 sq feet each). If 2 FAR is allowed, he can build up to 4,800 sq feet, provided he leaves mandatory setbacks. According to the Master Plan, a property owner could build up to 2 or 3 FAR even along radial roads such as JC Road and Airport Road. This move, experts fear, would give rise to more commercial complexes haphazardly built, increasing the population coming to these areas every day, thus leaving the roads choked.

Builders can even forget leaving parking space along narrow roads, if they pay up the ‘exemption’ cost.

Town planning consultant A S Kodandapani points out, “Over time, we wouldn’t even be able to walk on these roads. The Master Plan even has a ‘premium FAR,’ where you can pay money and buy additional FAR (building area). Is BDA doing FAR business?” There are 27 different kinds of land-use zone regulations in the new CDP. “When Corporation engineers can’t even understand the simple regulations of 1995, where will they understand these?” he asked.

Architect S Srinivas too observes that the FAR of 0.75 that was mandated in Chikpet has been thrown to the winds a long time ago. “Chikpet buildings’ FAR exceed over 7. And that was the extent of violation when FAR was restricted to 0.75. The one positive point in the CDP, however, is that balconies are now included in FAR (built-up area).

Institute president S C Kari Gowda, also a member of the independent committee to review feedback from the public, concurs. Not only does the CDP allow intensifying development in already congested areas with almost twice the present FAR, it even allows indiscriminate change in land-use that could ultimately mean that all areas end up with a mixed land-use.

“The FAR for MG Road was brought down from 3.5 to 1.75 ten years ago, because of the traffic congestion, parking shortage and inadequacy of other services. If you double it now, the situation will deteriotate. FAR is always related to the width of the road in each area. But that has not been done in the petta zone or in the high-tech zone, where FAR is fixed at 3.25 and 2.7 respectively. The roads in ‘petta’ (such as BVK Iyengar Road, Avenue Road) are already choked beyond capacity,” Mr Gowda said.