3 weeks ago
Bengal hopes 300 stalled building projects clear by Independence Day
Many big buildings under construction in Bengal were stopped from being built.
This happened after a building that was being made fell down in June, and at least 16 people died.
The government wanted to check that other buildings were safe.
It made a list of 706 buildings to check, and later reduced it to 595.
So far, 293 buildings have been allowed to start building again.
Some got permission with conditions, meaning they must finish small requirements.
A few buildings were not allowed because they broke big rules, like building extra floors.
The people who build buildings hope all the checks will finish by August 15, which is Independence Day.
They are sad because work also stopped earlier this year for elections.
They may have to charge more money for homes because the delays cost them more.
Over 300 under-construction buildings in Bengal are awaiting government clearance to resume work, with realtors' body Credai expecting approval by August 15.
Safety audits were ordered after an under-construction warehouse collapsed at Transport Depot Road, Garden Reach, in June, killing at least 16 people.
The audit list was trimmed from 706 buildings to 595 after institutional buildings were exempted; 293 had received clearances by Monday afternoon, including 89 conditional ones.
Twenty-six projects were denied clearance for major violations such as deviating from approved plans or adding extra floors.
Realtors cited electoral roll revision, elections and the West Asia war — which disrupted gas, polymers, aluminium and tiles supply — as reasons for construction delays and possible price escalation of unsold stock.
- Who
- The Bengal government, realtors' body Credai (including Sushil Mohta and Sidharth Pansari), and developers of over 300 stalled projects.
- What
- A state safety-audit clearance process determining whether construction of six-storey-or-taller buildings can resume after a fatal June warehouse collapse.
- Where
- West Bengal, covering Calcutta, New Town, Rajarhat, Sonarpur-Rajpur, Pujali, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Baranagar, South Dum Dum, Kamarhati, parts of Bally, the Howrah Municipal Corporation area and the Bishnupur rural area near Joka.
- When
- After the June warehouse collapse, with the original July 31 audit deadline extended to August 15.
- Why
- To verify structural safety after the Garden Reach collapse killed at least 16 people; realtors say industry disruptions from elections and the West Asia war have also slowed work.
Safety First
Business Continuity
Safety audits vs construction delays
Safety First
State-ordered safety audits after the fatal Garden Reach collapse are necessary to confirm buildings are structurally sound before construction resumes.
Business Continuity
Realtors say repeated disruptions — audits, electoral roll revision, elections and the West Asia war — have frozen work for about one-and-a-half months, raised project costs and may force price escalation of unsold stock.
Enforcement of violations
Safety First
Denying clearance to 26 projects with major violations, such as extra floors or deviation from approved plans, protects public safety and buyers.
Business Continuity
Credai says none of the projects held up for major violations was built by its members, and insists pending conditional compliances are unrelated to structural safety.
Key facts
- Buildings initially identified for audit
- 706
- Buildings audited after exemptions
- 595
- Clearances issued by Monday
- 293 (including 89 conditional)
- Projects denied clearance
- 26
- Warehouse collapse deaths
- At least 16
- Audit deadline
- Extended from July 31 to August 15
- Annual investment in Bengal real estate
- ₹20,000 crore
- Employment in the industry
- Nearly 60 lakh direct and indirect
Quotes
Sidharth Pansari
Immediate past president of Credai, Calcutta
“This has been a year of disruptions for the industry in Bengal. Since January, workers have had to return home for the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls and then the elections. For the past one-and-a-half months, work has been stalled because of the safety audit.”
telegraphindia.com
“We are expecting all pending projects to receive clearances for resumption of construction by August 15, unless there is any major violation.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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