Bda ‘violates’ Norms, Gives Approval To Building Plans, Real Estate News, ET RealEstate
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BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is providing plan approvals to residential and other buildings in the city despite the power for the nod lying with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Experts said the practice is not only a violation of norms but could lead to unplanned development in the city, expressing concern that homebuyers in case of a wrongly approved project could face unnecessary litigations.
The housing and urban development department in 2015 issued an order giving power to all urban local bodies of the state for building plan approval.
“In case of Bhubaneswar, it is the BMC which should have the power to issue approval for building plans,” real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan said. Pradhan said though the power was given to the BMC, the development authority has continued to provide building plan approvals in the civic body’s area, which is a violation of the norms. “The BMC has said it has the manpower to handle the wing. The power should lie with the BMC,” he said.
He warned that if any such project faces litigation, BMC has all rights to refuse to provide the approval since the BDA has given it earlier. “In this case, such projects might get into trouble and create problems for homebuyers,” the expert said.
Several corporators have time and again raised the issue in several meetings of the civic body. In one such recent meeting, corporator Nrupesh Nayak sought an answer on when the building plan approval power will be handed over to BMC. In reply to Nayak’s question, the BMC official concerned said a meeting was held in May under the chairmanship of the principal secretary of the urban development department and the power has already been transferred to the civic body.
BDA vice-chairman Balwant Singh said the building plan approval power lies with the BMC for the area coming under its jurisdiction. “We have already started transferring the approval files to the BMC. The process is on,” he said.