Akrama-Sakrama scheme gets guv's partial nod

Urban building owners can get plan violations regularised by paying penalty

Governor H R Bhardwaj has given partial consent to the Akrama-Sakrama scheme for regularising the building plan violations pertaining to the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and setback area in urban areas.

Sources in the government said the Governor has, however, not approved amendment to revenue-related laws and sent back the file to the government with some observations.

The amendment to revenue land-related proposal pertains to layouts and houses that have come up on agricultural and other lands without necessary approvals and conversion of land use pattern.

Bhardwaj's much-awaited consent that would benefit building owners across cities and towns in Karnataka, came in the form of an amendment to the section 76FF of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act on the building byelaw violations.

The amendment, which was notified in the State Gazetteer on August 27, 2013, will be applicable to buildings constructed before December 3, 2009.

As per the amendment, violations in residential buildings up to the extent of 25 per cent will incur a penalty of six percent of the guidance value in accordance with the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957.

For violations above 25 per cent and below 50 per cent, the penalty would be eight per cent of the guidance value.

Non-residential buildings

For non-residential buildings, the regularisation charges would be 20 per cent of the guidance value if the violation does not exceed 12.5 per cent. For violations above 12.5 per cent, the charges would be 35 per cent of the guidance value.

Person seeking regularisation under the amended rule can make application to the prescribed authority within a year from August 27, 2013.

Necessary amendments to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 and Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964 have also been made to suit the amendment in the KTCP Act.

90pc in violation

Officials in the BBMP stated that 90 per cent of houses in legitimate layouts had some measure of building plan violations.

The regularisation proposal was first mooted by the coalition government headed by JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy and was later pursued by the BJP government.