KMC to now recover building demolition cost from owners

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to recover the cost incurred for demolition of illegal constructions and dilapidated buildings from the owners.

According to a circular issued by the municipal commissioner, the Building department after completion of demolition of illegal and insecure buildings will issue demand notices to the concerned owners of the buildings.

The concerned Executive Engineer (Civil)/Building will serve the demand notice to recover the incurred demolition cost from the owner of the premises.

The owner shall deposit the demanded amount within 15 days from the date of receipt or the demand.

If the owner of the premises fails to deposit the requisite demand within the time period as stated in the demand notice, then the said unrealised/ outstanding demand will be reflected in the letter of intimation (LOI) of the Assessment Collection department. A no objection certificate (NOC) will be issued by the Assessment Collection department only after payment of all the demands stated in the LOI.

The circular read that as a means of safety and security measure, Kolkata Municipal Corporation carries out the demolition of the unauthorised constructions and or insecure buildings or portions thereof, as and when identified. “The cost incurred for carrying out such works are required to be realised from the owner of such premises by issuing a demand specifying the details of the expenditure borne by KMC,” it read.

Mayor Fuirhad Hakim in the recent Budget session of the civic body said KMC has served 5000 ‘stop-work’ notices, filed 500 FIRs, demolished 150 unauthorised buildings.

Sources said the present move will also act as a mode of revenue for the civic body at a time when sanction fees were reduced 50 per cent of the prevailing schedule of rates for sanction of residential building over a plot between two to three cottahs.