An under-construction building at Vijaya Heritage in Birsanagar. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

Builders in Jamshedpur’s Tata lease area cannot flout the National Building Code and hoodwink authorities, thanks to a new system of double-check launched by utility company Jusco.

Since this February, Jusco provides power and water connection to a new building only after getting and verifying an occupancy certificate (OC) or no-objection certificate (NoC) from Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC). For the layman, this means that Jusco at its end will check if the builder’s approved plan matches the construction on the ground.

JNAC physically inspects a building in the final stages of construction. If it finds the building has deviated from its approved plan, the builder doesn’t get the NOC. Significantly, Jusco now crosschecks JNAC’s findings before allotting power and water.

This system of verification at the final stage has many advantages.

One, builders can’t hope to get away by approving from JNAC, for instance, a G+2 apartment and later constructing a G+5 one. They will simply not get water and power later. So the problem of illegal construction is weeded out.

Two, money changing hands for brushing building plan deviations under the carpet will stop, significantly reducing the entry of dubious realty players.

Three, Jusco will be able to know exactly how much power and water to allot each building, which spells good news for the utility company and bad news for pilferers of the twin resources.

“The system of providing power and water connection to a new consumer on the basis of occupancy certificate or NoC was effective earlier too, but we felt the need of getting the papers verified to eliminate any anomaly,” spokesperson Rajesh Rajan told The Telegraph.

He added that applicants had to approach Jusco Grahak Seva Kendra in Bistupur for new power and water connections, armed with an occupancy certificate, JNAC-approved building plan and other details.

“Then, we start our verification of the building in question. If found okay, we sanction power and water,” said the Jusco spokesman.

JNAC special officer R.N. Diwedi expressed his satisfaction over Jusco’s initiative. “This system will bring the tendency of constructing buildings deviating from approved plans to an end,” he said.

After the system was launched, Diwedi said they had got four applications for the certificate, but approved only one. “Vijay Heritage in Birsanagar adhered to NBC norms,” he said, but refused to divulge the names of builders who did not.

Jusco’s move apart, Diwedi said that Jharkhand Apartment Act 2011 would prove effective in cleaning up the realty industry.

“There is provision for heavy penalty, including a jail term, for deviations,” Diwedi said, adding they were studying the Act’s implications.