GHMC rolls out guidelines to issue occupancy certificates for structures with lapsed building permits

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has announced relief for house owners who could not obtain occupancy certificate despite constructing as per the approved plan, because their building permit had lapsed. The corporation rolled out guidelines for issuing occupancy certificates for such structures on Thursday.

The relief will be applicable only for those structures for which building permission had been issued but not occupancy certificate, and those that have been completed as per the approved plan, a statement informed.

Owing to the absence of OC, second buyers and owners are facing difficulties in obtaining water and electricity connections, and bank loans, forcing them to pay penalties too.

The guidelines address two kinds of scenarios, the first pertaining to applications for OC within two years after completion of construction and the second, beyond two years.

In the first scenario, the application will be considered after payment of dues, if any, pertaining to building permission fee, link road charges, comprehensive road maintenance programme charges and others.

In the second scenario, all the relevant fee and charges will be levied after calculation the existing rates at the time of the application. In both cases, deviations in setbacks should be less than 10% as per the building regulations. No deviation will be permitted in the front setback.