BPS Melas To Regularise Illegal Buildings

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will organise Building Penalisation Scheme melas in all circles from December 22 to 31, including on holidays, to allow people to regularise their buildings.

According to GHMC commissioner M T Krishna Babu, the government, in GO Ms. No. 901, dated 31-12-2007, had issued orders for the regulation and penalization of unauthorizedly constructed buildings and buildings constructed in deviation of the Sanctioned Plans Rules, 2007.

Accordingly, the GHMC had received a total of 2,05,023 BPS applications, out of which 1,36,716 applications have been approved by GHMC under BPS. 27,860 more eligible BPS applications are pending for the payment of the balance penal amount, and for building owners' submission of documents required.

The government, in memo No. 23583/M1/2011 dated 13-7-2012, issued orders for the disposal of eligible pending BPS applications only after collecting the necessary balance penal charges and other required documents under the Building Penalization Scheme.

The commissioner has asked the general public to avail themselves of "this opportunity for the regularization of their buildings already applied under Building Penalization Scheme, 2007, before December 31, by paying balance penal amount and also by furnishing the required documents".

Penal action will be initiated against buildings or constructions not covered by the Building Penalization Scheme. Unauthorized constructions will be treated as continuing offences, and penalty would be levied as per Municipal Laws amended recently.

The commissioner said that a penalty of 25% on Property Tax would be levied till the unauthorized construction is demolished or regulated, and other enforcement action, including demolition of the unauthorized building, will be initiated. (INN)