The Telegraph’s July 8 report on illegal buildings

Patna, July 31: Tired with the police inaction on construction of two multi-level apartments violating the building bye-laws of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC), the residents of Indirapuri Co-operative Housing Society have approached the Patna sub-divisional officer (SDO) demanding prohibitory order under Section 144 be imposed on the building sites and the work be stopped.

The Telegraph had reported on July 8 edition that a group of residents had registered a case with Shastri Nagar police station against two builders for starting construction The Telegraph’s July 8 report on illegal buildingswork violating the PMC norms on two multi-level apartment complexes in their locality. The residents had complained in the FIR that the builders had allegedly started the construction work flouting the building rules and norms of Bihar Municipal Act after PMC wrongly approved their projects.

R.P. Sinha, a retired professor of veterinary medicine at Patna Veterinary College and a complainant in the case, said the residents were disappointed with the way the police had been carrying out investigations in the case. “As the police have not done much in the case apart from visiting the site a couple of times, we had no other option but to move the high court and approach Patna SDO for getting a stay on the construction work,” said Sinha.

He also said the SDO had asked the Shastri Nagar police station in-charge to submit its case file over the issue. “The official has ensured us that he would take up the matter with the police investigation details in the case. We have already filed a case in the high court and the matter would be up for hearing in a few days,” Sinha said.

The cops at Shastri Nagar police station said the inquiry was still on in the case. “Yesterday also we had sent a team of cops to the construction sites to verify the complaints. PMC officials have been consulted and we are also taking building experts’ opinion. We are trying to assess if the builders were at fault and if yes, to what extent,” said Mohammad Amanullah, the acting station house officer of the police station.

The disputed projects are Vastu Vihar (being constructed on plot number B/29) and A-One Galaxy (on plot numbers A/46 and A/47). The four storey apartment complexes are being built on plots measuring 2 cottah and 3 cottah, violating the norms of the prescribed setback area and height limit apart from the fact that non-members are not allowed to construct buildings in the area meant exclusively for the co-operative society members.

“Despite several violations, the building plans of these two apartments were approved by PMC. The role of the officials who approved their maps should be probed,” Sinha said.