Patna, Sept. 24: Realtors here have criticised the state government for delay in finalising Patna's master plan because of which construction of all buildings with built-up area of over 20,000square metres (sqm) has been stopped.
The eastern zone of National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order issued on September 16, restricted the construction of structures spread over a built-up area of over 20,000sqm in Patna metropolitan region.
Further, the urban development and housing department yesterday issued an order to prohibit all ongoing work on buildings being constructed on built-up area of more than 20,000sqm under the recently approved Patna metropolitan region.
Sachin Chandra, honorary secretary, Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (Credai) - Bihar, said: "It is quite ironical that the master plan of Patna has not been finalised though work has been on for past 10 years. Even the draft master plan has not been properly notified. It shows that the government was not serious on this issue. Though the state government is going to suffer the most as a number of ongoing projects would be affected, this order will halt a couple of big residential projects."
Principal urban development and housing secretary Chaitanya Prasad, in the order issued yesterday, stated that the order had been passed in adherence to an order regarding the same passed by the eastern zone of National Green Tribunal (NGT) on September 16. "Acting upon the order passed by NGT, work on all buildings with built-up area more than 20,000sqm in Patna metropolitan region till the master plan for Patna is given final approval," the order stated.
The NGT has raised reservation on selection of members of the recently approved Patna metropolitan planning committee, stating that most members lack technical expertise and the committee cannot be made a repository for rehabilitation of political elements. The NGT has asked the urban development and housing department to reconstitute the committee by inducting competent people as members.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, the vice-chairman of the commi-ttee, denied any discrepancy in election of elected representatives in the committee.
According to the state cabinet's approval on September 21, the Patna metropolitan region stretches from Ganga in the north to Punpun in the south and Fatuha in the east to Bihta in the west. Another decision of the state cabinet on July 25, 2014, said the Patna metropolitan region under the proposed master plan was spread over 1167km against the existing 250sqkm.
The eastern zone of NGT, in its order, directed the state government to stop all construction in Patna on built-up area of more than 20,000sqm till the master plan for the city is finally approved.
The order has cast a shadow on many state government projects, including the Bihar Museum, International Convention Centre, Bihar Police Bhavan, Vidhan Sabha annexe building and extension building of Patna High Court. Majority of these are dream projects of chief minister Nitish Kumar. The Vidhan Sabha annexe had a January 2012 deadline but work is still in final stages. The International Convention Centre project, adjacent to Magadh Mahila College, had an initial deadline of November, 2015, but it is unlikely to be completed even in 2016.
