HYDERABAD: The Union Ministry of Urban Development has suggested to urban local bodies across the country to create a special Structural Design Review Panel (SDRP) consisting of senior structural engineers and design agencies for multi-storeyed buildings to review and certify designs submitted to seek permission for construction.
After doing a thorough check up of the design and structural drawings by the builder’s engineering and design firm, the review panel can either certify the design or can submit a fresh certificate in case there are any changes in the structural design.
The plan submitted should have complete drawings of the foundations, elements of masonry, timber, plain, reinforced or pre-stressed concrete and steel in tune of the established provisions listed in the comprehensive ‘Model Building By-Laws 2016’ brought out by the Ministry.
The by-laws assume significance in light of the recent collapses of under construction buildings across the twin cities.
Improved regulations
The building by-laws have been circulated to all the States, urban local bodies and planning authorities after the Ministry saw the need to improve upon the existing regulations revised last in 2004.
The Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) under the supervision of Joint Secretary Neeraj Mandloi, took up the revision after holding extensive discussions with the stakeholders concerned.
For structural safety of buildings with stilt parking, it wanted special arrangements to be made to increase the lateral strength and stiffness of the steel bracing, shear walls and brick in-fills between columns. Dynamic analysis of building should be carried out including the strength and stiffness effects of such constructions, the Ministry suggested.
Other facilities
Apart from intending to strengthen the regulatory system and arrest haphazard development, the by-laws (further whetted by chairman of Delhi Urban Arts Commission) came out with elaborate measures on norms for rooftop solar photo-voltaic installation, segregated sanitation facilities in public buildings, additional provisions for natural hazard prone areas, conservation of heritage sites and barrier free environment for disabled, among others.
Regulations have also been framed in the model building bylaws for mitigation of electro magnetic radiations in built spaces by identifying emission appliances, safe spacing of indoor and outdoor appliances and equipment.
Simpler procedures
The model by-laws also called for simplification of procedures on the lines of ‘Ease of Doing Business’ where other than online processes, it called for empowerment of architects, outsourcing of non-discretionary verification jobs as was done for passports.
To speed up the process of issuing permissions, the draft by-laws further divided the constructions into: Low Risk Buildings — building plans by a competent professional and local body to grant permits within 20 days; Moderate Risk Buildings — after plans submitted by competent professional, permissions to be given in 20 days.
High Risk Buildings — Building plans will have to be prepared by a qualified architect and the building plans to be submitted for the local body to give permit within 30 days.
