Gurugram: OC applications dip by 50% in November after action against violators

GURUGRAM: The number of applications for occupation certificates (OC) to the department of town and country planning (DTCP) has dipped by nearly 50% in November over the previous two months. Officials attribute this dip to the fear of stringent scrutiny of applications by the planning wing of DTCP apart from cancellation of sanctioned OCs by the enforcement wing over various violations.

As per the official records of the planning wing, the number of applications for OCs received in September and October was 150 and 145, respectively. This number came down to 80 (almost half) in November. In fact, in the second half of Not just this, in the past one month, the department raised objections in around 45 OC applications submitted by the owners of residential buildings in DLF phases 1, 2 and 3, Ansal Esencia, Greenwood City, Malibu Town, Palam Vihar, Vatika India Next, Rosewood City, Mayfield Garden, South City 1, Sushant Lok 1 and 2, and Vipul World.

It may be mentioned here that the DTCP embarked on a drive against illegal construction in the city from the first week of November and cancelled OCs of properties in several cases of violations — some within 10 days of granting of the
mandatory certificate. Over the past one month, the department cancelled as many as 50 OCs of properties, particularly in DLF-3. The enforcement wing, during site visits, found zoning violations like bathrooms in balconies and rear setbacks, construction in stilt areas and pending construction. After cancelling the OCs, the department also issued notices to the architects concerned and directed revenue officials not to execute the sale deeds of floors in those properties. “OCs are issued as per the norms of the building code. In case, the OC application is made while the building is incomplete, and on inspection, pending work is detected, notices are served to the property owners as well as architects,” said an official. “And in case, unauthorised construction is detected after procurement of OC, the department carries out demolition drives, and also recommends filing of FIRs against the violators.”

According to officials, the department is facing a tough time in controlling unauthorised construction, mostly by owners of properties which have been granted OCs recently. “They have carried out construction in the front and rear areas of their plots and even in the stilt parking areas, in violation of norms,” said another official.