Violations go scot-free, well almost

Violations go scot-free, well almost
By R Krishnakumar, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Bysani Developers is facing the heat for allegedly violating the National Building Code (NBC) norms with regard to the width of the approach road to the building.

A 14-floor high-rise, at the dead end of a nine metre-wide road. This violation could stand out for the cheek with which rules have been flouted. And for how the violators have tried to right the wrong, with another violation.

Bysani Developers - promoters of an upcoming apartment complex on No 14/1, 1st Cross, Byrasandra 1st Block, Jayanagar - is facing the heat for allegedly violating the National Building Code (NBC) norms with regard to the width of the approach road to the building.

The apartments are coming up at the end of a nine-metre wide elevated road. A lower-level road measuring between eight and 12 metres in width, runs parallel. The two roads are separated by a four-metre wide bund, under which BWSSB runs pipelines to its nearby reservoir.

C N Kumar, a resident of the area pointed out that the builders had the plan sanctioned by the Joint Director (Town Planning), BBMP by clubbing the width of both the roads and showing it as 19.3 metres, while the approach road measured only nine metres.



NBC norms

NBC (Fire Protection) stipulates that for a high-rise building, “the width of the main street on which the building abuts shall not be less than 12 metres and one end of this street shall join another street not less than 12 metres in width.” The norms ensure that in the event of a fire in the high-rise, the approach road is wide enough for a fire engine to ply.

On noticing the discrepancy, the DGP (Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services) had intimated the builders in late 2005, urging them to ensure a 12-metre wide approach road.



Further mistake

“The builders encroached upon the bund space and constructed a retaining wall incorporating the bund space to show that the elevated road measured 12 metres in width,” Mr Kumar told Deccan Herald . Following a BBMP ward engineers’ inquiry, the BBMP Joint Commissioner (Works) prepared a report that declared the wall as an encroachment.



RTA’s help

Mr Kumar, after obtaining details of the encroachment under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, has been pushing for action against the violators. BBMP Commissioner K Jairaj had on December 29, 2006 ordered dismantling of the wall and action against the ward engineer who allowed the violation. Though the wall has been dismantled, action against the engineer is yet to be initiated.

Meanwhile, sources said that the BBMP Administrator, Mr Dilip Rau, has ordered action against the builder.

And as Mr Kumar braces for the next RTI hearing on June 20, when BBMP is expected to furnish a final response with regard to the violations, construction is still on, on the property.