The state urban development and municipal affairs department has come up with a draft notification on amending sections of the West Bengal Municipal (Building) Rules, 2007, including provisions like keeping 10% of parking space reserved for charging infrastructure in buildings having more than 30 flats, regularising minor deviations from the sanctioned building plans, giving additional ground coverage for car parking and having provision of building rules for MSME units in industrial parks.
The draft amendment will be applicable to all municipal bodies across the state except Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Howrah Municipal Corporation, Chapter 10 of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (Salt Lake township) and the municipal bodies in the hills unless they are specifically mentioned. It has proposed keeping 10% of parking space reserved for charging infrastructure in buildings having more than 30 flats or apartments, institutional, business, industrial, storage and mercantile buildings.
As for regularisation of minor deviations from the sanctioned building plans, the civic bodies may regularise unauthorised erection, execution of any minor work without sanction under the rules keeping in regard road width and communication facilities, drainage system of the surrounding locality, environmental aspects, structural safety and other civic infrastructure. The civic bodies may also refer such cases to the state-level buildings committee for review.
The draft also keeps provision for additional ground coverage for car parking and building services. For buildings on plots measuring 3,000 sq m and up to 5,000 sq m, a 10% additional ground coverage may be allowed for car parking, ramps, staircase, lifts for upper-level car parking and other services like AC plant and generator room, firefighting and electrical equipment. For buildings on plots exceeding 5,000 sq m, a 15% additional ground coverage may be allowed for car parking and building services.
A new part has been inserted in the draft notification – keeping the provision for building rules for MSME units in industrial parks as approved by the state government for industrial use or as factory sheds or buildings. The minimum size of a plot, ground coverage, maximum height of the buildings, front, rear and side open space, FAR and parking space have been mentioned in the draft.
