BPS receives poor response in city

It’s almost a fortnight since the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) is launched by the government, but the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has received only 60 applications, thanks to the lack of efforts by the corporation to effectively educate the erring builders about the issue.

Worried over the poor feedback, VMC officials have intensified efforts to create awareness among building owners. Building inspectors have been deployed in respective divisions to identify structures that were constructed in violation of rules. They will specifically mark such structures with red colour, enabling the owners and corporation officials to initiate the process for regularising the structures.

Further, VMC has set up a control room at its the head office to counsel building owners on the procedures and help them file applications. This apart, applications can be filed at the 36 Mee Seva centres across the city and three VMC municipal circle offices. “The deadline for filing applications is July end and we are expecting to receive 15,000 applications. BPS will fetch us nearly Rs.100 crore,” said VMC Commissioner G. Veerapandian.

In a bid to create awareness among the building owners, a meeting was held with builders association members recently. A special meeting would be conducted with fire services, revenue officials, sub registrar and other departments requesting them to issue necessary certificates to the building owners, for filing BPS applications, he said.

The government issued a notification on May 22 under the Andhra Pradesh Regularisation and Penalisation of Buildings Constructed Unauthorisedly and in Deviation of the Sanctioned Plans-2015. Application for regularisation will have to be made online on www.bps.ap.gov.in. Applications will be accepted for 60 days from the date of notification i.e, May 22.

If any owner or builder fails to apply within the stipulated time, he will be liable for action. The buildings constructed illegally will also be liable for action, and applications for their regularisation would not be entertained.

The application fee is Rs. 10,000, and the balance penal charges on intimation by the competent authority will have to be paid within 30 days from the date of intimation. Penal amounts paid are not refundable, according to the officials.

Only 60 applications have been received even after a fortnight since the BPS was launched