When it comes to vertical growth, Jamshedpur is an aggressive city.

Flouting building construction rules and deviating from approved plans to raise high-rises is both rampant and easy, especially in prime realty pockets under the jurisdiction of Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), which rarely lifts a finger against offenders.

A case in point is the under-construction, multi-level parking lot on a half-an-acre land behind Voltas Building in Bistupur. While the building plan sanctioned by JNAC says this modern parking facility will have seven floors, Tee Kay Industries - the private contractor - has already raised nine floors above ground and is constructing more.

JNAC special officer Deepak Sahay, who was initially hesitant to furnish information, later at deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal's behest confirmed that the approved building plan was of seven floors, inclusive of basement and lower basement. This effectively means the private firm has already raised four additional floors.

But, Sahay claimed that the civic body did not know whether the contractor was at fault. "We are not aware if Tee Kay Industries has violated building norms by constructing additional floors. Let us check first," Sahay had told The Telegraph on Tuesday.

The upcoming parking facility is just a drop in the sea of realty offence in the steel city. There are around 200 buildings in Kadma, Sonari, Sakchi, Baradwari and Golmuri areas, which have either been constructed or are being constructed in gross violation of the approved plans.

"Even four years ago, the JNAC didn't sanction plans beyond G+2. But now, we are seeing high-rises everywhere. Are they at all legal?" Srikant Jaiswal, a resident of Sakchi, shared his doubts. He said he had drawn the attention of civic authorities to an under-construction building in Baradwari, which was encroaching upon 15ft of road space, but the JNAC did not act.

SCCI president Suresh Sonthalia seconded Jaiswal on JNAC's complacency. "It is an open secret that the multi-level parking lot coming up in Bistupur is a rogue building. Why is the urban local body not pulling down the additional floors, which are not sanctioned in the plan?" he said.

Owner of Tee Kay Industries Balbir Singh denied allegations. "Our parking lot is following the building plan. During a recent inspection, the JNAC too did not find any anomalies," he claimed.

Golmuri OC Nehal-ud-din Khan agreed with Jaiswal and Sonthalia that many buildings in JNAC command areas were deviating from approved building plans. "Strict action is necessary against violators to stem illegal constructions across the city," Khan said, referring to yet another unauthorised, double-storey building coming up on encroached land in Golmuri.

Deputy commissioner Kaushal said the administration would act if any specific instance were brought to their notice.