Illegal structures: Nod for bill to extend deadline

The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday approved an ordinance-replacement bill, which seeks to extend the cut-off date for regularisation of unauthorised constructions, especially deviations in building bye-laws and floor area ratio in urban areas, including BBMP limits.

However, the Karnataka Town and Country Planning and certain other laws (Amendment) Bill, 2013 does not specify the new cut-off date. Instead, it empowers the government to fix the deadline for receiving applications under the proposed scheme. The old cut-off date was December 3, 2009.

The Bill was first passed in 2007 during the then JD(S)-BJP government. But it could not be implemented due to legal hurdles.

A revised Bill was passed in 2009, but Governor H R Bhardwaj did not give assent to it. The Governor, however, cleared it after the Congress came to power. As the cut-off date in the 2009 legislation was December 3, 2009, the government decided to extend it to a new date.
The day when the governor signs the ordinance is likely to be the new cut-off date.

According to existing rules, up to 25 per cent violation by residential buildings will attract a penalty of six per cent of the guidance value of the property and eight per cent penalty for violations between 25 and 50 per cent. The Bill is yet to be passed in the Council.