BMC Worried About 180m High-rises Bid

Societies Need to Have Fire Safety Officers and Qualified Personnel for Monitoring, But This Does Not Happen Despite Monitoring Mandate

- Yogesh Naik

MUMBAI: The BMC has conveyed its concerns about the state government's plan to change the definition of high rises from 120 to 180 metres to the deputy director of town planning. Changing the definition will mean that builders will not have to seek permission from the civic body's high rise committee to build structures of up to 180 metres, which is the rule now. It also means that the technical measures that require to be followed in constructing these high rises will no longer be vetted by the committee.

The BMC's Development Plan department has sent a letter to the urban development department. "We have conveyed our concerns to the department on the issue," said BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. The state government issued the public notice to change the definition in February.