Kolkata, May 21 -- The Commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has written to the Inspector General (IG) of Registration and the Commissioner of Stamp Revenue in the state government, requesting them to halt the registration of deeds for the transfer or sale of rooftops or terraces located on the topmost storey of any building.

The IG of Registration and the Commissioner of Stamp Revenue, who are part of the Directorate of Registration and Stamp Revenue, serve as the registering authority for deeds involving the transfer or conveyance sale of rooftops or terraces. According to Rule 117(4) of the KMC Building Rules, 2009, "Every terrace on the topmost storey of any building shall have a common access and shall not be subdivided."

Mayor Firhad Hakim has clarified that the roof is common for all the flat owners/occupiers and inmates of the building. Access to the roof of the building through the staircase, common corridors etc should be unhindered to avoid untoward incidents like fire hazards. The civic body with the approval of the Mayor has already disallowed mutation of open roof/ roof top terraces at the topmost storey at any building premises and sanction of any structure in roof top comprising multiple units being occupied by several owners/ occupiers. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on May 1 made a sudden visit to a commercial building near Allen Park, Park Street following her visit from the fire-ravaged Burrabazar hotel after receiving information that escape routes were blocked there due to stacking of LPG cylinders while the roof was inaccessible.

The Chief Minister had said the terrace won't be shut for a restaurant so that in case of fire, people can escape to the roof.

KMC has already slapped notices at the rooftop restaurants in the city instructing the restaurant owner to immediately stop all construction work, stop any operations currently ongoing on the premises and demolish all unauthorised structures on the premises without delay.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.