State cuts down on civic chief's discretionary powers to promote ease of doing business
Civic chief Ajoy Mehta will enjoy fewer, but key, discretionary powers
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The state government has cut the municipal commissioner's discretionary powers from 35 to 12, to allow ease of doing business. Among the powers that remain with the BMC chief under the final Development Control and Promotional Regulations (DCPR) 2034, are regularising projects that are deficient in open spaces, or staircases with inadequate width, as well as rendering fungible Floor Space Index (FSI) admissible.
The civic body claimed that it was the BMC that proposed this and mentioned it in the draft Development Plan (DP) to bring in transparency and reduce corruption during the approval process for building development and redevelopment projects. Few of the special powers that the civic chief currently enjoys as per the Development Control Regulations 1991 are allowing stilt height of more than 4.20 metres to accommodate stack/puzzle/mechanical parking, regularising inadequate size of rooms, allowing electric sub-station in the stilt portion or in the podium of the building, allowing internal staircase free of FSI for shops, restaurants and duplex flats by charging premium, among many others. However, the civic chief will not enjoy these powers any longer.
However, as far back as 2016, critics have said that the BMC commissioner should not hold any discretionary powers. Special powers that the municipal boss will continue to hold — such as sanctioning of open space deficiency, staircase exemption, Transfer Development Rights — are key concessions for any proposal, which could result in corruption.
Ajoy Mehta said, "This move is to promote ease of doing business. As the builders are paying a premium for this, there is no need for every file to go to the commissioner. This will hasten the process."
35
No. of powers he had so far
12
No. of powers he will have henceforth
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