Srikakulam: Official apathy hits BPS applications

Srikakulam: The applicants of Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) are facing a lot of problems due to slow progress in processing of applications in municipalities and municipal corporations. The Visakhapatnam region which covers three districts, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, has 11 municipalities, 5 in Srikakulam, 4 in Vizianagaram and 3 in Visakhapatnam.

In all the three corporations and 11 municipalities, total applications received from owners of buildings under BPS are 17,673 so far. The BPS is meant for regularisation of violations or deviation in individual or commercial buildings by paying a fixed penalty amount.

Of the 17,673 applications, only 2,645 applications cleared by the regional deputy director's (RDD) office for town and country planning Visakhapatnam. Remaining 15,028 applications need to be cleared.

Violations, deviations and unauthorised constructions are gradually reducing in number in all municipalities and towns after the implementation of GO No 168 for the last five years. The GO mandates building owners to mortgage 10 percent of the building area with the concerned town and country planning wing to reduce violations.

If anyone violates the rules, he cannot get permissions for water, power connection and cannot sale the property to others. "We have cleared 2,645 applications under BPS so far out of total 17, 673 and remaining 15,028 applications will be cleared gradually after due verification," town and country planning regional deputy director for Visakhapatnam region K Jayaram told The Hans India.