Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has unveiled a new initiative to impose development fees aimed at improving underdeveloped roads and drainage systems. This policy will affect building plans across all 144 wards within the city’s jurisdiction. The move comes in response to the identification of numerous roads and common passages not currently recorded by the KMC’s Survey Department.
The decision reflects a growing concern over the inadequacy of infrastructure records and the need for systematic development. Under the new regulations, property owners applying for building plan approvals will be required to pay development fees for the creation or enhancement of roads and drainage systems that are not part of the official records. The fees will be determined based on the size of the plot and the total floor area of the proposed construction.
The KMC has established a structured process for imposing these fees. Initially, property owners must secure permission from the Chief Valuer and Surveyor Department, as well as the Assessment Department, when subdividing large plots. The Survey Department will then assess the development fees for newly created roads and passages. For existing roads, the fees will be applied when owners of vacant plots or existing buildings seek approval for their building plans. Fee rates vary depending on plot size: Rs 5 per square foot for plots up to one cottah, Rs 8 per square foot for plots up to three cottah, and Rs 10 per square foot for plots exceeding three cottah. This new fee structure is expected to streamline the development of critical infrastructure, ensuring that underdeveloped areas are brought up to standard and accurately recorded. The initiative underscores the KMC’s commitment to enhancing urban infrastructure and maintaining the city’s growth in a systematic manner.
