Three deoartments. three sets of rules
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Builder forced to alter plans after Yelahanka airforce base, HAL airport and BDA set different height ceilings for highrise
I
S Kushala
kushafa.~4yanarayana@tirnesgroupP~m
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fs probably symbolicof the chaotic growth of the city. A builder of
a high-rise residential-cum-commercial complex in Varthur hobli
found to his chagrin that three departments from which he had to obtain
NOCs regarding the height of the
building, stipulated rules which were
at variance with the others.
Sundaram
Srinivas
(name
changed) had planned to construct a
commercial complex on a 15-acreplot
in Kodathi village, Varthur Hobli,
Bangalore East. Srinivas' original plan
had included twin towers rising to 150
metres and helipads - since the
National Building Code makes it
mandatory for buildings beyond 60m
to have rooftop helipads. The property falls within a 20km radius of both
The property is within 20km radius of HAL Airport
the Yelahanka airforce base and the
HAL Airport and rules state that highrise buildings being constructed within this radius have to obtain a NoC
from the ministry of defence.
While the Yelahanka airforce base
has given permission to the builder to
construct upto 153.99m, the HAL airport sewices centre has limited the
height of the building to 63m. To top
it all, the Bangalore Development
Authority's (BDA) Masterplan 2015
has fixed the ceiling at 90m in Varthur
area which falls under Ring 111 of the
comprehensive development plan.
Ring 111is the area between outer ring
road and green belt.
While Yelahanka and HAL airport
authorities wash their hands off the
matter by quoting a directive from the
ministry of defence, the BDA claims
that the height limitation in the masterplan was based on areas and their
classification such as central business
district, green belt etc.
Yelahanka airforce headquarters in
its NOC states, "The air head quarters
has no objection from the aviation
angle for construction of residential
apartment, commercial building and
two helipads atop the building. Height
of the building shall not exceed 153.99
metres inclusive of the parked helicopters on top of the building. Air traffic control clearance from Yelahanka
airforce station shall be obtained
before undertaking any helicopter
movement toffrom the proposed helipad. No flying over Yelahanka airforce
station below 6000 feet."
While issuing a NoC, chief manager (aerodrome), HAL airport stated:
"This office has no objection to the
construction of the proposed mixed
land use development construction
with a height of 63 metres. No radio,
TV, microwave towers, antenna, lightning arresters, or any fixtures of any
kind should go beyond this height and
the use of electric fired furnace is prohibited within 8 kms of aerodrome."
Srinivas, who has invested Rs 300
crore in the project, is now planning
to alter the blueprint of the project.
"Since three organisationshave given
three different height ceiling, I cannot
go beyond 63m," he said. "I have to
restrict construction to 20 floors. In a
city like Bangalore, how can each
department have its own set of rules?"