HC stops construction of Ganga riverfront apartments in Patna

Patna,(BiharTimes): The Patna High Court on Friday stopped the construction of all the Ganga riverfront apartments in the state capital. It directed the builders to file a reply in affidavit whether there is any violation or deviation from the building by-laws in the constructions done by them as also the details of the plan of the structures passed by the Patna Municipal Corporation. It has to be filed before July 11, which is the next date of hearing.

The order was issued by a division bench headed by Chief Justice Rekha M Doshit on the letters patent appeal LPA filed by the PMC against the lifting of construction ban on apartments being constructed on the river bank by the builders.

When the PMC had stopped the construction work in 2011 the builders approached the high court and got the order vacated last year.

The fresh order has come as a big blow to the builders, who have been under cloud for constructing huge apartments and commercial complexes on the bank of Ganga from Dujra to Digha. The river has shifted its course further north in this part of the state capital.

The PMC had stopped work on 500 flats of nine apartments. It had launched a vigilance probe into nine under construction/constructed complexes and also served notices on them seeking explanation whether they followed structural safety norms and had proper sewerage, drainage, fire safety arrangements in place.

The Corporation had also put a blanket ban on approval of any forthcoming projects of multi-housing projects on the said area. The architects who had approved the controversial building plans are also under its scanner.

The state government has been indulging in doublespeak on this issue. It has been repeatedly talking about beautifying the entire riverfront. Even the chief minister Nitish Kumar had in the past talked about building commercial and residential complexes on the bank of river Ganga.

Renowned architect, Hafeez Contractor, had visited the state capital with a plan to develop it.

However, after the recent Uttarakhand disaster more and more people have started questioning the move to allow huge construction on the river bank.

River experts are warning that it does not take much time for river to return to its old course. This happened in Uttarakhand where the builders choked the river banks. This caused widespread destruction and heavy casaulties. Even Kosi, known for shifting its course, wreaked havoc in August 2008 killing thousands of people and displacing 3.3 million.

It remains to be seen how so much structures came up and where was PMC when the work actually started. It is not only in the riverfront but all over the state capital that apartments have come up. The Patna high court has repeatedly pulled up the state government machinery and civic body for allowing the high rise buildings in narrow lanes and bylanes of the state capital. But it seems that all the orders are falling on the deaf ears.