Gurugram: DTCP seals 58 flats in Palam Vihar for building norms violation

GURUGRAM: Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised construction in the city, the department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Tuesday sealed as many as 58 flats and three offices of property dealers in Palam Vihar for allegedly violating the layout plan as well as occupation certificate conditions.

The department has also written to the Gurgaon police for registering FIRs against the errant property owners under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975.

In fact, a DTCP enforcement team, led by district town planner Amit Madholia, carried out the massive sealing drive against the unauthorised additional flats constructed on single builder floors across five buildings in C2 Block of the licensed colony in the afternoon.

Madholia told TOI that the department received a complaint against illegal construction of multiple dwelling units on a single floor in buildings raised on each of the five plots in C2 block of Palam Vihar. Based on the complaint, the enforcement team inspected the sites and found violations of some provisions of the Act.

“Major alterations have been carried out by the plot owners and builders after obtaining the occupation certificates. Sub-division of each floor into multiple dwelling units (ie, more than one dwelling unit on each floor) is itself a gross violation of the Act,” he said.

“These plot owners had constructed two to four independent dwelling flats on each floor in complete violation of building bylaws and occupation certificate conditions. The illegal units were sealed by our team,” Madholia added. “We have requested the commissioner of Gurgaon police to get FIRs registered against the errant property owners and to the revenue department for not executing the sale deeds of these flats.”

As per norms, it is mandatory to procure occupancy certificates for any residential building constructed on a plot. For plot sizes bigger than 180 square yards, there is a provision for construction of four floors and stilt parking. But several plot owners in Palam Vihar have constructed two to four flats on each floor and sold the same to homebuyers.

The occupation certificate of these buildings clearly mentions that only four dwelling units are approved (single kitchen on each floor ie, one independent dwelling unit on each floor). Moreover, it is also mentioned in the occupation documents that any addition or alteration inside the premises after obtaining the same, without the permission of the competent authority, shall be considered a violation of the approval.

As per norms, Madholia said, the occupation certificate will stand automatically cancelled if the owner or the builder changes the permitted use of the building or raises any additional construction in the said building without the approval of the competent authority and occupies the portion of the said building for which the occupation certificate has not been granted. “In such a case, action shall be initiated as per the law,” he added.