New committee nod must for buildings beyond 70 metres in Pune

People planning to build high-rises above 70 metres in the Pune Municipal Corporation limits would have to get clearance from a technical committee under the chairmanship of the divisional commissioner in future, stated a government resolution (GR) issued by the urban development department. Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar, who was the chairman of a high-rise committee in Nagpur while he was with the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA), stated that the focus of the committee would be on checking fire safety norms compliance, rescue mechanism and evacuation. “The building’s structural stability, its width and wind tolerance are the other aspects to be checked,” he told. With three Metros to pass through the city and the focus being on transit-oriented corridors, the city is expected to see heavy rush of proposals for high-rise buildings. Divisional commissioner Mhaisekar stated that in Nagpur a 500-metre transit-oriented corridor saw many high-rise proposals. City engineer Prashant Waghmare told media that high-rise provisions were given earlier too, but the government had insisted on a committee. “The new committee under the Pune divisional commissioner will now scrutinize for the proposals,” he said. The PMC had written to the government on April 26 and October 6 to revise the High Rise Committee. After this request, the urban development department issued the GR, stated a government official. The committee would be of advisory nature and was expected to advise the municipal commissioner regarding the feasibility of the development proposals that might be referred to it, according to the officials of the state government. The planning, design and construction of the high-rise building should be as mentioned in the National Building Code of India and should be designed to ensure fire safety, structural safety and wind resistance. They shall be done in accordance with the provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, as amended from time to time and requirements given in Part IV of the National Building Code, 2005. Developers stated that the committee was essential because it would help speed up proposals along the corridor. Pune Credai Metro president Shrikant Paranjape said the committee was essential to ensure safety of high-rise buildings, though it could delay permissions. “Mumbai has a High Rise Committee and it was expected for Pune, too. It would ensure that developers follow the norms prescribed,” he said. Chief fire officer Prashant Ranpise is hopeful that the norms put forth by the committee would be followed. “The addition of new members in the committee will help take more caution. We are only hoping that additional care is taken when such permissions are granted,” said Ranpise.