BMC’s new policy on dilapidated buildings can boost re-development

By Realty Quarter Bureau

Monsoon has arrived and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has uploaded its new policy on dilapidated buildings on its website, which civic officials say will speed up the redevelopment process. Disputes between tenants and owners often lead to a delay in vacating a building and redevelopment drags on for years, said civic officials

The new policy lists detailed guidelines for declaring private and municipal buildings in the city in C-1 category (dangerous and unsafe); it doesn’t cover Mhada buildings, cess properties, and port trust and defence properties.

Under the new policy, the BMC will grant sanction for redevelopment—intimation of disapproval—only after an agreement providing permanent alternative accommodation in a new building or a settlement is arrived at between the tenants and landlord. No commencement certificate will be issued too till then. Also, if a BMC employee refuses to vacate a C-1 category building, despite alternative accommodation being provided, a departmental inquiry will be conducted against him for endangering the life and property of himself and others, and he will be suspended from service, pending inquiry. In case the occupier is a tenant, the agreement licence with BMC will be terminated and he will be evicted.

The BMC also introduced five technical advisory committees for the suburbs, the island city and municipal buildings to expedite the process of resolving disputes between tenants and owners over structural audits. Currently, there is only one such committee.