The GHMC has stated that illegal buildings and unauthorised constructions not covered under the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) are liable to either pay 25 per cent more property tax and also face penal action like demolition.
Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu pointed out that the government has given an opportunity for the unauthorised constructions and buildings built in deviation of the sanctioned plans under the BPS in 2007. The scheme has been closed for any fresh applications and more than 2.5 lakh forms were received, of which 1.36 lakh were approved.
There are still 27,860 applications pending for approval and it requires applicants to pay the balance penal amounts or submit the required documents. The government has issued orders a couple of months ago allowing the municipal corporation to collect the remaining fees or documents and process these pending applications for disposal.
BPS melas
Mr. Krishna Babu said that ‘BPS melas’ have been arranged in all municipal circles every Saturday from 3 p. m. to 5 p.m. to enable the applicants to regularise their respective buildings.
Similarly, the Commissioner has also requested citizens to make use of the Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) which has been extended up to December end. Citizens can regularise their respective plots brought from unauthorised or illegal layouts by paying a surcharge on the penal amounts.
A 20 per cent surcharge on the penal amount will be levied on the balance penal amount to be paid if the initial amount was not paid before December 31, 2011 or the 20 per cent surcharge will be on the total penal amount will have to be paid for applications received after December 31, 2011.
Unapproved layouts and subdivision of plots with registered sale deed/title deed existing prior to the date of notification of the LRS will be considered for regularisation. The illegal plots should have been registered before December 31, 2007. The plot holder/land owner/association/society/colony developer will have to furnish copies of the sale deed/title deed. The agreement of sale or the general power of attorney will not be considered as evidence, he said. GHMC has so far received 94,752 LRS applications out of which 46,085 applications are approved so far. Around 21,172 applications are pending for payment of balance penal amount that can be paid at all zonal offices, the Commissioner added.
