Look out for the Akrama-Sakrama guidelines
After the final notification of the much-hyped Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Regulation of unauthorised development or constructions) Rules 2013, or Akrama-Sakrama (regularization of unauthorised constructions), the guidelines for the same are out. Guidelines regarding the regularisation of illegal buildings in the urban locations, under the Akrama Sakrama scheme are all set and will be submitted to the state High Court, soon.
Time for a change
With the guidelines getting ready, the scheme will soon turn into a reality, providing a one-time opportunity for as many as 8 lakh building and site by-law violators in the city, along with 6 lakh violators in the remaining urban pockets of the state, in a move to regularize the illegal constructions. As per the guidelines, violations of up to 25 per cent in commercial properties and 50 per cent in residential properties will be regularised.
Although the penalties for violations have been fixed in the guidelines, however, they are not finalized yet. The guidelines are prepared after acquiring the permission of the Governor.With the guidelines coming in, the government is expected to mop-up a revenue of Rs 5000 crore from the city. As per the government, the money can be put to use for the development of towns and cities of Karnataka, including Bangalore.
Different opinions about the Akrama Sakrama
Confusion and skepticism about the bill still drive a majority of the people. A lot of people still prefer to give a second thought regarding the usefulness of the bill, however, for some the ‘ready to be implemented’ guidelines of the bill will be of great assistance for both the authority and the people. For such group of people, the guidelines will help them in regularizing their properties. However, a handful of property owners are of the notion that the bill is so designed, it will act as a boon for the land mafias, and fall deaf ears to the plight of the common man.
The urban experts, are of the opinion that a scam is gearing up under the eyewash of regularizing the scheme. This is because, the government has made a hurried attempt in implementing the bull with an ordinance, without conducting any kind of discussion in the Assembly. Making matters worse, as per the legal experts the government has been sending out wrong signals by letting out the official machineries in civic firms, which were accountable for violations.
