Fearing over Rs 2,300 cr loss, BBMP proposes tweaking 2 laws

The BBMP has proposed amending two existing laws, particularly the sections pertaining to the approval of building plans and the issuance of commencement certificates (CCs) and occupancy certificates (OCs), which allow builders to file a lawsuit, in an effort to prevent losing more than Rs 2,362 crore as a result of legal loopholes. The BBMP Act of 2020 and the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act of 1976 are the two laws that are being proposed for amendment. Several builders and developers, according to BBMP officials, have petitioned the high court for rulings reducing the fees the agency collects. Their main complaint was that the BBMP was obtaining fees from the developers in violation of both the KMC Act and the BBMP Act. The builders also claimed that the town planning branch of the civic agency was illegally collecting payments under a number of headings, including plan verification, ground rent, license, CC, and OC.