The Hindu

Udupi, Nov 5: The Udupi city municipality intends to take stern action against high-rise buildings which have violated building norms. The number of multi-storied buildings and high-rise structures had been increasing since a decade. However, only a few of them had followed the building norms. Sources in the Udupi Urban Development Authority (UUDA) said that 18 residential and seven commercial high-rise complexes had violated the building norms in the city. It had come to the notice of the authority that some residential complexes had commercial shops too. According to rules, 10 per cent of the building space could be used for commercial purposes. Sources said that the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (regularisation of unauthorised development or constructions) Rules 2007, which came into effect from September 15, 2007, had given time till December 14, 2007 to regularise the buildings. The deadline was, however, extended thrice. Accordingly, violations could now be regularised till December 31. The building owners could submit applications for regularisation with a penalty. The rules made it clear that in the case of residential complexes, violations up to 50 per cent in the case of commercial complexes 25 per cent, could be regularised.

Some people challenged the penalty charges in the court as being exorbitant. A section of the people also contended that violations should not be regularised. The court had decided against processing these petitions.