Building norms violation on the rise in Mancherial

Some owners are building more floors than permitted, while others are constructing structures without mandatory setbacks, thus violating norms of the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019.

Mancherial: Flouting of norms by owners in constructing commercial complexes, hospitals, hotels and lodges are going unchecked in the town.

Some owners are building more floors than permitted, while others are constructing structures without mandatory setbacks, thus violating norms of the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019. Civic authorities recently served notices on the owner of a commercial complex for building a structure without setbacks in deviation to the sanctioned plan, and for unauthorised construction of a fourth floor and another owner for constructing unauthorised RCC rooms in the same vicinity. Notices were already served recently to 26 owners of commercial complexes for using cellars for other purposes than parking.

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Sources said an owner constructed two floors more than the sanctioned four floors of a building meant for a hospital on the Bellampalli-Laxmi Talkies road. Another owner constructed a building without setbacks on the same stretch. Many owners were constructing penthouses above the floors permitted by the municipality. However, no action was taken against the owners so far.

“The owners violate norms to save internal space and to have more space in the form of additional floors or penthouses. However, flouting norms in construction of buildings can have serious repercussions with the lives of people being at stake, especially in case of fire accidents. The earth is dug deeper than the normal depth for the basement if one wants to build additional floors than permitted, resulting in accidents and claiming lives of construction workers,” a civil engineer said.

Mancherial municipal officials said around 500 permissions for constructing new buildings were being given per annum. Owners commonly violate norms by building penthouses, additional floors and deviating setbacks. Two notices are issued against violators allowing duration from a week to 21 days to provide explanations. The structures would be demolished by a district task force committee led by the local MRO if the explanation was not satisfactory.

Municipal commissioner A Maruthi Prasad said steps were being taken to prevent flouting of norms in constructions of buildings. Notices were being issued to owners who flout norms in constructing commercial complexes and hospitals. Action would be initiated against errant owners based on their explanation. A special drive would be organized to take action against the owners who misuse cellars instead of parking of vehicles belonging to customers soon, he added.