30 September,2015 07:24 AM IST | | Varun Singh
If a structure in the city is half legal and half illegal, then the legal part may get an Occupancy Certificate (OC), instead of the BMC declaring an entire building unauthorised
If a building in Mumbai is half legal and half illegal, then the legal part may get an Occupancy Certificate (OC).
According to several reports, nearly 40% of buildings in Mumbai do not have an OC. File pic for representation
This clause will be debated in the house of the BMC on October 5, where it will be discussed whether to make it binding on the administration to give occupancy certificate to individual flat holders and floors constructed according to the sanctioned plan of the corporation instead of declaring an entire building unauthorised.
This means if a builder has constructed 10 storeys instead of say, a sanctioned plan of five storeys, the legal floors will be given the OC. The BMC wants the authorities to give OC to even individual flat holders. But there are a few dissenting voices.
A senior official from the building proposal department of the BMC, which deals in OC-related matters said, "The main reason why an OC is issued is to see to it that all aspects of a building are complied with, from structural engineering to the architecture. Every aspect of the plan that has been approved by the BMC has been followed. It's mostly to see to it that the building is safe and secure. So giving an OC to a flat or individual floors doesn't make sense, as the whole building is considered when the OC is given."
The official added, "If a building doesn't have an OC, it becomes an unauthorised building. After this, the building doesn't get regular water supply from the BMC, the water they are given is charged at double the rate." According to rules, no one is allowed to stay in a building that doesn't have an OC, it's technically illegal to reside in a building that hasn't been issued an OC.
Prakash Gangadhare, chairman of the improvements committee, which passed the resolution, said, "Such a resolution had come in our meeting. It will be now discussed further." Meanwhile, a builder said, "This whole thing doesn't make sense to us, we do not know how an individual flat holder will be given an OC." According to several reports, nearly 40 per cent of buildings in Mumbai do not have an OC.
Sunil Mantri, President, National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), said, "This is a good move, it will help bona fide customers as because of some homebuyers, others suffer. When there is no OC, water is costly... why should everyone else suffer? Giving OC to individual homebuyers is never heard of. But then it's a good thing to be done."
