AMC marks 186 buildings in west zone as illegal

AHMEDABAD: One of the busiest central business areas of the city, the west zone, is cringing at the crackdown on illegal buildings. Out of the 3.75 lakh establishments in Navrangpura, Paldi, Stadium, Vasna, Nava Vadaj, Motera and Chandkheda, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has marked 186 buildings as illegal and not complying with General Development Control Regulations (GDCR). The numbers could go up to 370, say AMC officials.

Most of these buildings date back to a period between 1985 and 1995, when the city had just four commercial zones extending from Ashram road, and including part of Sabarmati, Madhupura and Kalupur.

Recently the AMC sealed the buildings - Kalagi and Sudama - in Ellisbridge area because the owners had shown their commercial properties and hotel as residential bungalows.

"Starting a commercial activity in a residential zone requires that you either open a bank or a nursing home. So there were many buildings in the west zone which were shown as nursing homes. The second aspect was related to parking. You could get a parking space of 13.75 square metres per car for a nursing home and bank and so many buildings on CG road were registered as nursing homes," said a senior town planning official.

The official added that when the new GDCR norms came into effect, the width of the roads decided whether the space would be allotted to a commercial complex or residential apartment.

"Today you cannot have any commercial activity near a road up to nine metres wide. A road that is between nine and 12 metres wide would allow mixed land use while an 18 metre wide road would allow only commercial activity. Despite the new GDCR laws in place, there are many buildings without permissions," the official said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/AMC-marks-186-buildings-in-west-zone-as-illegal/articleshow/9425665.cms

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