PMC seeks police help as tension prevails after order to stop work in apartments

This decision has created storm in the state capital because, at least in four of the nine cases, the maps were passed either by the Patna Regional Development Authority or Patna Municipal Corporation itself. Ironically, these buildings have come up after the enactment of the Bihar Municipal Act 2007.

Urban Development Minister, Prem Kumar, said that the decision has been taken keeping in mind the decision to build Marine Drive along the 20.5 km long stretch between Deedarganj and Digha.

As per PMC’s order work must be stopped at all the eight under-construction buildings in the area. The ninth one, Eagle Apartments near Rajapur, where all the 42 flats are inhabited, is also under the Corporation’s scanner though it was built about 25 years back.

A Vigilance inquiry would soon be initiated to check if the projects have followed the norms laid down by the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007. The order issued by PMC Commissioner cites Ganga pollution and the durability of the upcoming constructions as reasons for the decision, taken after a meeting of the civic body officials on January 25.

After visiting these sites Pal said that the riverbed is not fit for construction of high-rise buildings. Also, sewage and drainage water from these buildings will be directly released into Ganga.

Local residents, especially of Eagle Apartments, who have been living there for a couple of decades, are questioning the Commissioner’s wisdom. “Where was the PMC all these years? Why is it not ordering the demolition of apartments built on the bank of Ganga near B N College,” one of them asked.

While the Builders Association has decided to move the court the flat-owners are asking as to where was the PMC when the apartments were being built. One of the builders challenged Pal’s claim of durability stating that the entire Hong Kong is built on the seabed and 70 per cent of Mumbai is built on the land reclaimed from Arabian Sea.

“The nexus between builders, politicians and bureaucrats have virtually made this city a glorified slum with apartments coming up even in less than 4000 sq. feet of land. They have encroached roads and all important common places in different areas. If the govt. want to make this city worth living Mr. Pal should immediately constitute a special investigation team in the city with immediate effect” suggested a senior resident Subhash Chandra.

Guddu Baba, social activist, said the PMC move is a reflection of the way the state government is treating Ganga. “Why chief minister Nitish Kumar is not doing anything to bring Ganga back to old channel, if such project is going on in Kosi. Many educational institutions are situated on the bank of Ganga. Now sand dust is causing eye problem, he added.

All the identified nine apartment complexes are in the New Capital Circle of PMC. Flats in these apartments are priced between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per sqft.

These high-rises are Badri Villa Apartment, Meenakshi Apartment and Dujra Marine Drive, all at Dujra; G M Tower, Braj Nandan Apartment, River Side and Eagal Apartment at Rajapur; and Royal Residency and Saraswati Chandra Complex at Mainpura.

Since the clearance for construction of these apartments was given around four years back PMC officials of the planning wing, engineers and architects responsible for giving clearance and okaying maps of these buildings are also facing action. They have been asked to explain their stand immediately.

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