Exorbitant fee for building permission
Sir, – On October 19, 2020, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a most beneficial scheme for the people of Guwahati city, who seek permission to construct their residential buildings in the city. The main motto of such a government scheme is to help the common people of our society in getting permission to construct their G+2 type residential buildings in the city in a hassle-free manner. As per information, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority and Guwahati Municipal Corporation have entrusted 52 architectural firms to prepare and certify the building drawings of different applicants. But the State authorities have failed to fix the rates of fees for these firms for the benefit of the applicants. Due to such a lapse in the process of implementation of this welfare-oriented scheme, a section of such firms are demanding exorbitant fees from the people who approach such firms for preparation of the drawing of the plan of their proposed G+2 type residential buildings. If the Government allows such acts of charging exorbitant fees to continue people, especially those who are economically weak, will find it difficult to get the required drawings and certifications of their building plans. Considering the seriousness of the matter, an application to this effect has already been submitted to the Chief Minister and a copy thereof to the GMDA on January 29, 2021. The GMDA and GMC should take urgent steps to fix the fee structure of the architectural firms for the benefit of all the applicants. Yours etc., JAGANNATH DAS, Latasil, Guwahati.
