Seeking to put an end to the harrowing experiences of residents of Delhi in obtaining building plan approvals, the Delhi Building Bye Laws of 1983 have been simplified, rationalized and updated under the directions of the Ministry of Urban Development. The Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) in association with Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and municipal bodies have completed the simplification exercise and submitted Draft Simplified Bye Laws to the Ministry of Urban Development. The Urban Development Minister Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu today directed DDA to notify them at the earliest.

            The updated and simplified Bye Laws will serve as a  comprehensive singe reference ready reckoner by integrating the Building Bye Laws notified in 1983 and several changes that have been subsequently notified over the last 31 years. This will enable the residents of Delhi and the professionals in obtaining sanctions for building plans in an easy and time bound manner. Some new provisions have also been made to address emerging challenges like green construction and water conservation and management.

            Some of the salient features of the simplified Bye Laws include:

1.Small residential plots of size up to 100 sq.mt have been exempted from sanction procedures. The proponents will only have to furnish the requisite information in a simplified one page format to the concerned urban body and go ahead with the construction. The validity of this submission will be three years and if required, a fresh submission may be made thereafter;

2. For plots of 100 sq.mt to 20,000 sq.mt, specific time schedules have been stipulated for according approvals by various concerned agencies;

3. For plots of more than 20,000 sq.mt, Single Window Clearence mechanism has been proposed. Under this, applications received will be scrutinized by a High Powered Committee consisting of representatives of all concerned agencies for according sanctions;

4. Competency norms of various professionals like Engineers, Architects, Town Planners etc., have been clearly stipulated addressing the vagueness in the existing provisions;

5. Clarity has been imparted in respect of the agencies like Heritage Conservation Committee, Archeological Survey of India, National Monument Authority etc.,  to be approached in respect of constructions in the vicinity of heritage buildings/monuments etc ;

6. Green construction norms plot size-wise have been clearly stipulated providing clarity;

7. Setting up of Grievances Redressal Committees in Urban Local Bodies for time bound resolution of disputes has been made mandatory;

8. Time frames have been stipulated for issuing development control regulations to applicants and professionals;

9. Provision of washrooms in public buildings of more than 4,000 sq.mt size has been made mandatory with direct access to the public from the main street;

10. Rain water harvesting and waste water recycling has to be provisioned;

11. Differently abled persons have to be provided easy access besides meeting their specific needs;

12. Needs of children and senior citizens have to be duly met by providing for easy access, fittings and fixtures in toilets and altering the height of the hand rails in the buildings;

13. Provisions for disaster mitigation, structural and fire safety codes have been specified; and

14. Art elements like paintings, frescos, statues etc., to be provided in public buildings for better aesthetic environment.

            Simplification, rationalization and updation of Building Bye Laws notified in 1983 under the Delhi Development Act, 1957 was undertaken after extensive stakeholder consultations. A workshop was held in October this year which was attended by over 100 engineers, architects, town planners, urban experts, consumer and builder organisations etc. In response to a public notice, over 1,000 suggestions were received. All these have been examined in detail jointly by DUAC, DDA and municipal bodies before coming out with user friendly Bye Laws.

AAR