Seminar on building rules and safety norms

Builders, architects, building promoters, consulting civil engineers and licensed building surveyors will jointly organise a seminar on May 24 here on “Awareness of Safety Measures in Buildings and Remedial Measures for the Deviated Constructions”.

K. Viswanathan, former national vice-president of the Builders’ Association of India, and representatives of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers, Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, Indian Institute of Architects, Association of Licensed Building Surveyors and Coimbatore Civil Engineers’ Association spoke to presspersons here on the seminar.

Mr. Viswanathan said that following the fire accident at a commercial building on Avinashi Road here last month, the officials have sealed 55 buildings for not adopting safety norms or deviating from the rules.

Appeal

“Our appeal is that a team of officials should visit the buildings, study the approvals and safety norms, explain the defects, give adequate time to the building owner and then take action on those who violate,” he said.

The building rules in Coimbatore were framed several years ago and it is not viable to comply with rules in some of the main locations in the city. This is a reason for the land owners deciding to deviate from the rules.

Further, nearly 70 per cent of the builders in the city are in the unorganised sector and hence, it is difficult to implement the rules.

According to reports, the city is said to have over 5,000 buildings that have violated or deviated from the norms.

Corporation Mayor S.M. Velusamy, District Collector M. Karunagaran, Corporation Commissioner G. Latha, Member Secretary of Coimbatore Local Planning Authority S. Chandrasekaran, Chief Engineer of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation A. Thangavelu and Deputy Director of Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, Western Region, Sahul Hameed will participate.

The construction sector representatives will submit a memorandum seeking revamp and revision of the development control rules and building norms to prevent growth of unauthorised constructions.

They have also decided that they will insist to the clients that the basic safety norms should be adopted, he said.

The seminar will focus on two issues: safety norms and building rules. It will be held at the Chamber Towers on Avinashi Road.