Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) stern on building norms,

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has appealed to property owners to get approvals for the change of usage of building from residential to commercial online by visiting the website, https://cr.ghmc.gov.in/. Owners or those occupying such buildings should file a self-declaration application online through the GHMC website from November 1 to December 31.

“In case self-declaration is not filed within the stipulated time, necessary action for closing/sealing of such premises will be taken,” the GHMC said in a press release here on Monday.

Fifty percent of the impact fee and compounding fee should be paid at the time of filing the online application and remaining amount has to be paid on or before March 31, 2022.

In case the entire amount is paid upfront at the time of filing of application, a 10 percent rebate will



be given. The Impact Fee collected will be escrowed into the Strategic Nala Development Programme account.

Existing commercial buildings on declared commercial roads which have been converted from permitted residential use should pay impact fee as per the prescribed rates along with 33 percent compounding fee.

This change of usage of the building came in the wake of the GHMC order released in July notifying 111 roads as commercial roads, in addition to the already notified commercial stretches. Currently in several residential buildings, commercial establishments are operating illegally. As the Impact Fee is applicable only to commercial establishments, the expected revenue was not being generated as the change of usage of the building from residential to commercial was pending. The civic body has now decided to bring such buildings under the correct property tax net.