Thane civic body relaxes amnesty scheme rules to legalise buildings which lack OC

TMC has given six months to the buildings to apply for occupation certificate under the scheme..

Those buildings, which have been declared illegal because of lack of occupation certificate, can legalise them within six months.

Under the revised amnesty scheme, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has squashed the penalty charges by several folds. The clauses for getting OC have been eased so that large number of buildings in the city can benefit. The TMC has given six months to the buildings to apply for OC under the scheme.

More than 80 per cent buildings in the city do not have occupation certificate. Out of these, most of them are illegal and not eligible for one.

There are more than a thousand legal buildings across the city which do not have OC owing to rules flouted by the builder or architect. Such residents are forced to pay 1.5% additional property tax as they are tagged illegal.

Thus, the amnesty scheme was introduced in March 2015. Under the scheme, even individual flat owners can get an OC by paying a fine as it was given to an entire building and not individuals.

A TMC official requesting anonymity said, “We have amended the scheme and reduced the rates. As per the old amnesty scheme, the OC was given to those buildings wherein the plans were sanctioned and the certificate was not given because of some minor violations by the builder or architect. However, in most cases there were additional constructions or alterations in the building or individual flats which we did not consider in old scheme. In the new scheme, we will give OC to buildings if the alterations adhere to the legal framework and do not affect the structural stability.”

He added that the societies can purchase additional FSI or TDR from them to regularise the structures and get OC. The municipal corporation claimed that there are more than 150 applicants which did not get OC in the previous scheme due to its tedious clauses.

The official said, “The problem with the earlier scheme was the high penalty — Rs25,000 for flats up to 40 sqm area and Rs50,000 for 60 sqm.”

The penalty was calculated for each day from the day of possession. In the new rate, the fine will be Rs5,000 for 30 sqm, Rs10,000 for 40sqm and Rs25,000 up to 60sqm.

“Even middle and lower income group families can take advantage of the scheme,” he said.

The application for the amnesty scheme will be accepted till June 30. Residents can submit the application in the town planning department between 3pm and 5pm on any working day.