Do not accept new high-rise proposals, committee tells BMC

The high-rise committee, appointed by the state government to approve proposals for skyscrapers in the city, has directed the civic body not to accept any new proposals till the committee frames guidelines for such buildings.

The newly appointed high-rise committee met for the second time on Tuesday. Various issues and 14 proposals for high-rises in the island city were discussed. The committee also decided to frame guidelines for the submission of proposals.

The committee will decide the format for submitting proposals. Every developer will have to submit his proposal in the particular format along with a soft copy of the details of the proposal.

“The committee discussed the 14 proposals that were on the agenda. After discussion, the committee asked the developers to comply with the queries that were raised. The committee will decide on the proposals in the next meting,” said civic sources.

The committee also directed the chief engineer of the development and planning department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) not to accept new proposals till the committee finalises the guidelines and the format.

The high-rise building committee was formed by the urban development department to issue NOCs for the construction of any building taller than 70 metre (eight floors). In May 2009, Shailesh Mahimtura, a structural consultant and member of the committee, was caught while accepting a bribe from a Matunga-based builder.

After the graft case the state government dissolved the committee and restructured it.