Building bye laws are crucial construction guidelines mandated by the Government to ensure uniform development of structures, while safeguarding them from external and internal issues. Knowing more about these laws is crucial for those who are planning to develop any property.
Some core aspects of building bye laws
• Building bye laws are regulations issued by Government organizations like the corporation, Ministry of Urban Development Affairs, and others.
• They are legal guidelines pertaining to the construction and architectural aspects of structures.
• They are vital for safeguarding structures against earthquakes, structural failures, fire, and other issues.
• Development authorities do not legally approve building plans that do not comply with its bye laws.
• These laws may differ across building types (educational, residential, commercial, etc.).
Model Building Bye-Laws and their evolution
A landmark development was the unveiling of the Ministry of Urban Development’s Model Building Bye-Laws (MBBL) in 2004, developed by the Town and Country Planning Organization. It emphasized upon aspects like structural safety, fire safety, solar heating, wastewater recycling, rainwater harvesting, and many other important aspects.
The MBBL was enhanced in 2016 by the Town and Country Planning Organization. These are revised guidelines that have been circulated throughout the country and adopted by the urban local bodies, State Governments, and urban development authorities. These changes were necessary, keeping factors like growing security and environmental issues, Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines, technological progress, and higher ease of doing business in mind.
Revisions, Purpose, and More
• Building bye laws are revised whenever the development blueprint is revised for any city or town.
• They are published every year by the municipal corporation or development authority.
• The authorities should issue notifications in case of any revisions, to ensure that they are upheld by builders.
• For any violations, authorities can take legal action against developers as well.
• Developments which are illegal may have to face demolition, closure, penalties, and other legal measures.
• Building bye laws vary across cities and regions.
• They are implemented to ensure optimum space utilization, uniform building development, public safety against several hazards, and ensure proper ventilation, natural light, air, and other aspects for the comfort, health, and safety of occupants.
What are the aspects covered in the building bye laws?
Here are some of the important things that are covered in the building byelaws:
• Ground coverage and FAR (Floor Area Ratio)
• Parking areas and basement
• Density
• Projections and setbacks
• Total area and usage
• Elevator provisions
• Service design and site design, encompassing water, power, sewerage, waste management, and rainwater harvesting
• Building line
• Open and green zones
• Safety measures
• Amenities
• Effective measures for manmade or natural disasters
• Building height
As you can see, building byelaws are essential while planning to construct any structure. Developers and individual plot-owners should always keep these aspects in mind at the planning stage, since legal approvals from authorities are mandatory in accordance with these regulations.
