mumbai: The state government has submitted a three-part policy to the Bombay high court to regularize illegal buildings and structures in urban areas.
While the first part of the policy lists structures that will not be regularized, like those located on mangrove or forest land, part two explains the regularization process and the third elaborates on how to avoid such constructions in future.
While the state will initiate criminal proceedings against the builder, residents will have to pay the regularization fee, the proposed policy states.
Maharashtra already has a policy in place for regularization of illegal structures in rural areas.
If the HC approves the policy, the state will have to amend various Acts – including the BMC Act, the Municipal Act for other councils and corporations and the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act – to implement it. Applications to regularize structures will have to be made within three months of the policy being notified, said state officials.
According to the policy, which is based on a report prepared by a committee led by former municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte and included the civic chiefs of Thane and Pimpri-Chinchwad and the MMRDA commissioner, structures in eco-sensitive zones, heritage areas and areas governed by CRZ norms will not be regularized.
Buildings that do not have a structural stability certification or an NOC from the fire department will also not be made legal.