Ahmedabad builders struggle with unclaimed tree deposits

In the face of a mounting predicament involving uncollected tree plantation deposits worth over $1000 million by numerous builders, Ahmedabad's civic body has implemented an increment in the refund amounts. For residential projects, the refund now stands at Rs 3,000 per tree (from the earlier Rs 1,000), and for commercial projects, it's set at Rs 5,000 per tree (up from Rs 3,000) after five years.The stipulated refund can only be claimed by builders upon demonstrating the survival of the tree plantations to the site by inspecting officers of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). In accordance with the 2017 General Development Control Regulations (GDCR), builders are mandated to plant a minimum of five trees for every 200 square metres of area, a requirement vital within Ahmedabad city.In a parallel move, the AMC has introduced a percolating well deposit of Rs 75,000 starting this year. This refundable surcharge aims to ensure that builders incorporate percolating wells into newly constructed societies at the time of Building Use (BU) permission. However, sources within the AMC reveal that during a recent inspection of 1,404 percolating wells conducted in May, numerous wells were found to be either poorly maintained or entirely absent at their designated sites.These revisions mark the first adjustments in five years. Notably, the construction fee has experienced a tripling, surging from Rs 20 per square metre to Rs 60 per square metre. The series of modifications underscores the AMC's commitment to environmental preservation and urban planning enforcement amidst an evolving real estate landscape.