Builders threaten to launch fast unto death agitation

Builders in Bihar will embark on fast unto death agitation at Kargil Chowk in the state capital from tomorrow to protest standstill in the construction sector due to alleged atrocities by government agencies on them and to demand new building bylaws.
National Builders' Association (NBA) president Anil Kumar said the builders will first take out a rally in the city and then settle down for fast unto death.
"We will continue with fast unto death till the state government provides relief to us. The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has interpreted the order by Patna High Court in a wrong way, due to which work on 1,200 under-construction buildings is stopped for the last two years," Kumar said.

However, state Urban Development Department (UDD) Minister Samrat Chaudhary scoffed at them saying it was a "drama" by builders, who were not interested in following the laws.
"The builders who are saying that they will go on fast unto death are just staging a drama. We are bringing the building bylaws, but these builders are not interested in following the laws. I want to tell them that just staging drama will not do. They should give us suggestions too," Chaudhary told PTI.
Two years ago, the High Court had ordered that no building of more than 11 metres of height could be constructed on streets less than 20 feet of width. As a result the PMC had put 1,200 under construction buildings under scanner.

The NBA president said of all the cases instituted by PMC only around 120 have been put up for disposal. At this rate so much time will be spent in resolving them that the builders will be ruined.

Bihar chapter of Builders Association of India (BAI) has also decided to support NBA it in this regard.
BAI Bihar president Manikant said the construction sector was the only one in the state that was doing well, but it has been brought to a standstill by government agencies working according to their own whims and fancies.
The UDD Minister said the Law Department has already cleared the new building bylaws and they are now awaiting nod by the Finance Department. "Once they get clearance from there, we will implement them," he added.

The Minister said that the work on creating a masterplan for Patna is going on and people's suggestions have been called for it. He also pointed out that it will be technically wrong to bring the building bylaws without having the masterplan in place.