After the tragic earth
quake in Gujrat the question of building safety
gained topmost importance. The State Government
in this Department constituted two Expert
Committees, one for the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation and the other for the
Municipalities, to consider the provisions of
the existing building rules and to suggest
necessary revisions in the rules to ensure
building safety. On the basis of the
recommendations of the said Committees,
processed by a third Committee, the building
rules for the Municipalities has been
reshaped in the form of
The West Bengal Municipal (Building) Rules, 2007and the said rules has been made applicable for
Silliguri, Asansol, Durgapur and Chandernagore
Municipal Corporations. The work for revising
the building rules for Kolkata and Howrah
Municipal Corporation are under active
consideration. In this new rule the
aspects of building safety, environment
protection, use of unconventional sources of
energy wherever possible, have property been
addressed to. The new rules stands on the
following basic principles:
Compliance of the provisions
of the latest edition of the National Building Code
and Bureau of Indian Standard, and also the National
Electrical Code for construction of earthquake
resistant and safe structure, while constructing
building in urban areas.
Ensuring structural safety of old buildings
Safeguarding waterfronts
Providing disabled friendly devices in the public buildings
Rain Water Harvesting System
Use of solar energy wherever possible
Provision of tree cover for bigger buildings and housings
Waste Water Recycling System
Effective measures for prevention of mosquito breeding
