12 architects to be blacklisted for violating norms in Gurugram

The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has identified 12 architects who have allegedly violated norms while submitting files to get occupation certificates for individual residential houses in the city.

The department has decided to recommend that these architects be blacklisted and has issued show-cause notices, seeking explanations for blatant mismatches between the submission in files and the constructions on ground, officials familiar with the matter said.

DTCP officials said they will be writing to the Council of Architects for action against these architects for violating their professional ethics.

An occupation certificate is required by a house owner to get basic amenities from service providers. It certifies that house is ready for occupation.

DTCP officials said that one of the architects, who had applied for occupation certificates, had violated the building norms wilfully. “The architect in question has a house in DLF Phase 2, in which he opened an office in the basement and covered the front and back setback, in violation of rules. The file for OC doesn’t mention this and it is in violation of rules. If architects who are listed with the department conduct such violations, how will we function?” said RS Bhath, district town planner, Gurugram.

Given the serious nature of such violations, Bhath said that the 12 architects will be blacklisted, unless they provide a satisfactory explanation for the same. He said that five of the architects submitted affidavits that they had relied upon their assistants to get the files completed and conduct surveys, and accepted their mistakes.

“We want to ensure that there is no such violation in the future. The department will also write to the Council of Architects with regard to such practices and call for action against the persons concerned,” he said.

The DTCP, last month as well, had issues notices to architects for laxity in submission of files for obtaining OCs for individual residential houses.

Due to rampant building plan violations, the HSVP has also directed its officials to ensure norms are followed strictly and inspections conducted with rigour, to ensure that there is no violation prior to the issue of OC and after the same is issued.

Last month, the authority had fired a junior engineer for submitting the same pictures in two separate files for obtaining OCs for two different houses.

First Published: Aug 08, 2019 21:45 IST