Permissions for high rises on hold in HMDA and GHMC limits

Permissions for high-rise buildings are learnt to have been withheld temporarily across Telangana for the past two months.

Permissions for high-rise buildings are learnt to have been withheld temporarily across Telangana for the past two months.

Cited as the reason for the same is an unwritten order that was issued by the Municipal Administration & Urban Development authorities reportedly to all the urban local bodies in Telangana to put on hold building permissions for the construction projects proposed for multi-storeyed buildings and complexes. Projects proposed in plot sizes of 2,000 square metres or more fall under the ambit of the oral orders, officials informed under the condition of anonymity.

The weekly meeting conducted in the GHMC with the builders of the MSBs, as part of the process to grant the permissions, has not been held for the past two months. Coupled with the period, the election code of conduct was in force, the moratorium on the building permissions has been for four months. Once the code for parliamentary elections kicks in, it will likely be extended.

In HMDA too, the same order prevails. Sources inform that even layout permissions have been put on hold, and no permissions are being accorded to projects with high rise buildings. In addition, all the notable permissions issued during the previous regime are being minutely scrutinised by the present government, they say.

Recently, former director of the HMDA, Shiva Balakrishna was arrested by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) which had conducted extensive raids on his house, and reportedly confiscated documents pertaining to several ill-gotten properties. A case of disproportionate assets has been slapped against him, following which he was suspended from his twin services as secretary in charge of Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the chief general manager (Land Management), of Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMRL).

The process for permissions requires the project proponent to apply online through TS-bPASS (Telangana State Building Permission Approval and Self-Certification System), wherein timelines are fixed for clearance of the files at each level. However, the system is being circumvented by marking shortfalls, and queries, an official shared.

Principal Secretary, MA & UD, and Metropolitan Commissioner, M. Dana Kishore, however, denied having issued any such order, and said about 90 permissions had been granted for construction projects within HMDA in the previous one week.