This story is from May 24, 2015

Cupboard and staircase space to be included in FSI

As per the development control rules in the draft development plan (DP), cupboard space and staircase will, from now on, be included in floor space index (FSI).
Cupboard and staircase space to be included in FSI
NASHIK: As per the development control rules in the draft development plan (DP), cupboard space and staircase will, from now on, be included in floor space index (FSI). The draft development plan, which was published on Saturday morning, included the development control rules (DCR).
The bone of contention between the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the builders, architects and developers, of late, has been enclosing of the cupboard space by builders.
The civic body refused to give completion certificates to such buildings, following which, the builders wanted to regularise additional FSI in cupboard space by paying penalty for it.
However, in a meeting with the ministry of the state urban development on May 13, it was decided to regularise additional FSI in case of cupboard space. On May 19, engineers, architects and interior designers agitated at Vilholi for 45 minutes to protest against the policies of the NMC with respect to town planning, which also included the issue of cupboard space.
“The municipal commissioner has the right to issue penalty for the violations and regularise additional FSI. But instead, he put the ball in the state government’s court of the. As per the DCR in the draft DP, cupboards and staircases will be included in the FSI. This could be a good thing but we actually don’t earn much from it. A violation of 2ft by 2ft does not fetch much,” said an engineer.
A consumer, who has been a victim of the building norms violation, said, “Architects, builders, contractors and developers show cupboard space in all the rooms; it used to be free of FSI. But while selling the house to us, the cupboard space used to be included in the carpet area. So we ended up paying more. Now that it has been proposed to be included in the FSI, the builders will not be able to resort to such gimmicks. While 30% to 40% used to be the built-up excess, it was not shown in the papers.”
Vijay Sanap, president of Association of Consulting Engineers, Nashik, said the exploitation will increase. “Till now, there was no FSI for these, so at least there was fear in some people. But now there would be area manipulation.”
Nilesh Chavan, president of Indian Institute of architects, said that the rule was similar in all other municipal. The government had made these rules from 2013. “Only in Nashik these were FSI-free. The inclusion of cupboard space and staircase in FSI may be done to make the policy same for all corporations. Now, even we will pay premium,” he said.
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