Building rules may be revised

The State government is set to amend the Kerala Municipal Building Rules (KMBR) in tune with the changing times. The move assumes significance with the State increasingly feeling the jolts of earthquakes occurring elsewhere in the country and beyond.

Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamkuzhi Ali told The Hindu that the Department of Urban Affairs had constituted a panel of experts to recommend long overdue changes in KMBR. “The report is expected by this month-end. We had not initially taken into consideration the need for earthquake-related steps in the study. But in the wake of recent incidents, we will take into account that aspect as well,” he said.

Changes in KMBR

Discussions would be held based on the report after which necessary changes would be effected in the KMBR. Mr. Ali said that while the basic framework would remain the same, changes to bring about more clarity and prevent misdirected interpretations would be adopted.

The move comes at a time when structural engineers pointed out many shortcomings in the KMBR compared to the National Building Code of India (NBCI) in ensuring quake-resistant constructions in the State.

Safety norms diluted

Varghese A. Johns, a consultant structural engineer, said that a revision to the KMBR in 2001 had diluted safety conditions with regard to design of high-rise buildings, material selections, and construction and commissioning as specified in the NBCI.

“At present, there is no technical review by government agencies to ensure that the design is done in accordance with NBCI,’’ he said. There is no control on design, material selection, and construction.

Hence, the need of the hour is an emergency revision of KMBR in tune with the NBCI and to put in place a mechanism by State authorities to ensure that it is strictly complied with, he said.