DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Thursday said the state government has decided to formulate unified building bylaws, adding that its draft has been uploaded on the official websites to solicit public suggestions within 30 days. The housing and urban development minister said the government has decided to seek public consultation for unified building bylaws to enable uniform building construction in cities.

The bylaws are being prepared through comprehensive consultation and public input, he said.

Mundian said providing convenient, accessible and transparent services to the state's residents is the primary agenda of the Mann government.

He noted that building bylaws in Punjab were among the most complex and challenging issues, causing numerous difficulties for people. By involving various stakeholders such as developers, architects and engineers in the bylaw formulation process, it will be ensured that the bylaws meet their requirements and expectations, he added.

The minister claimed that by implementing these building bylaws, Punjab will become the first state to promote simplified building regulations, a business-friendly environment, sustainable urbanisation and transparency.

On the objectives of formulating unified building bylaws, Mundian said processes are being streamlined for public convenience. Building bylaws have been standardised across all development authorities and corporations in Punjab, he said, adding that the bylaws have been made user-friendly, easily comprehensible and implementable.

He further said the unified building bylaws will end red-tapism and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles while promoting ease of doing business.

In the bylaws, sustainable urbanisation has been encouraged and environment-friendly development methods aligned with future needs have been promoted.

He said relaxations in building regulations such as increased floor area ratio (FAR) and ground coverage have been provided, mentioning that this will encourage developers who construct green buildings.

Mundian said the simplified regulations and streamlined processes designed under the objective of ease of doing business will attract investment and promote economic growth. He said public consultation will be conducted through online portals, which will ensure transparency and accountability in the complaint redressal process.

(editor@dailyworld.in)