TDR, BMP’s new mantra

TDR, BMP’s new mantra
Deccan Herald

Should the heat over the building by-law violations wind around to regularising the existing str-uctures, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will be aiming many birds at one go. Among them will also be ‘a ready market’ for its Transferable Development Rights (TDR).

Should the heat over the building by-law violations wind around to regularising the existing str-uctures, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will be aiming many birds at one go. Among them will also be ‘a ready market’ for its Transferable Development Rights (TDR).

“Suppose we regularise the violations, the owners will have to anyway pay huge sums as penalty. We can instead force them to buy TDRs. The violators are the market for the TDR holders. It will work if demolition is the only other option given to the violator,” sources observed saying that the matter has figured in the internal discussions at the BMP in the recent days.

It does not call for much changes; the measure can be simply limited to the violations found in the areas where the sale of TDR is permitted, the sources noted.

TDR is a Development Rights Certificate issued to a person or party whose property has been acquired by the BMP for public purposes like road-widening.

From the limits of the 84 roads that were initially marked for road widening in the first phase earlier this year, the BMP has reportedly received only 200 applicants who are willing to surrender their properties in exchange for TDRs. The response is poor because the owners are not convinced of an assured market for their TDR, sources observed.

Ways and means of getting around the building by-law violators’ penchant for getting court stays and hindering the authorities from cracking down, is also under discussion.

A senior officer said the government’s attention had been drawn. It has been suggested that while the owner will pay for the entire site on the sale deed he/she will actually own only the plinth and a specified percentage of the setback.

It means that the civic body shall remain the actual owner of a portion of the setback area, though the site in its entirety is for the enjoyment and convenience of the owner.