The process of approving building maps continues to be stuck in a limbo a day after the urban development and housing department gave instructions, on Wednesday, to resume it with immediate effect.

Norms insist on mandatory builder registration before approval of building plans but the same is not being followed at Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC). Officials concerned claimed applications from builders have been received and it would take at least another week to complete the registration process.

"We have received around 50 applications from builders in the city for their registration with the PMC. The applications are being scrutinised and we intend to complete the process within a week. Approval of maps for multi-storied buildings would start thereafter," said a senior official.

Amrit Lal Meena, principal secretary in the urban development and housing department, on Wednesday issued a letter to PMC municipal commissioner and executive officers at Danapur, Khagaul and Phulwarishariff municipal councils, asking them to resume the process of approval of maps for building construction activities.

Meena said the maps should be passed as per norms envisaged by Building By-laws 2014 and as per existing land usage rules. One of the norms in building by-laws states that approval of maps is not required for building construction activities on an area less than 300sqm. With regard to norms in building by-laws, envisaging sanction of maps as per road width in new and old areas, the urban development department has asked civic bodies in Patna to follow provisions as prescribed by the proposed master plan for the city.

The new master plan for the city has earmarked areas south of the New Bypass road as the new area and those north of it as old. The proposed master plan for the city was released on August 15 last year and suggestions were sought from residents.

The process of receipt and scrutiny of residents' feedback is over and law and finance departments have also approved it. Sources said the cabinet could approve it in a fortnight.

With things falling in order, builders are positive about the real estate sector's revival in a city seeing a slump for the past two-and-a-half years. "We were waiting for the state to clear bottlenecks for approval of buildings over the past two-and-a-half years. Now that the government is taking positive steps in this regard, we're sure the sector would be back on the growth track soon," said Sachin Chandra, former state chairman, Bihar chapter of Builders Association of India.

Urban development and housing department, through a notification on December 13, 2012, banned approval of maps for any multi-storied building over 11m till new building by-laws are okayed. Developers say building plans and maps were still not getting nods.