Developers can't just vanish now

BANGALORE: Has your layout developer failed to keep up his commitment of providing basic infrastructure and has disappeared without a trace? Don���t worry. The government will come to your rescue and also will ensure that such instances do not repeat in future.
This is the latest step mooted by the government to curb the "vanishing act,"thrust accountability on land developers and streamline layout development.Henceforth, the local planning authorities can have the rights over 40 per cent of the sites which will be held back while sanctioning the layout and releasing the sites. In case the developer fails to create infrastructure within a stipulated time, the authorities can sell these sites and use the money for civil works. The guidelines are the fall out of the April 23 order banning registration of properties on agricultural lands without conversion approval.
New procedure for layout approvals: When the developer submits his application and plan for a new layout, he can seek approval for sites to the tune of 55 per cent of the proposed layout area and the rest of the space should be earmarked for parks, playgrounds, roads and civic amenities site etc.
As per the new rider, along with documents, the developer should mandatorily submit a conveyance deed (undertaking) giving rights to the authority to sell 40 per cent of the sites and develop the layout by utilising the funds if the developer fails to provide basic amenities.
Once the layout is approved, the authority will only release 60 per cent of the sites which can be sold by the developer. As per rules, a period ranging from two to five years will be given to the developer to build roads, provide water supply and sewage connections, construct overhead tanks, sewage treatment plant, develop parks, electrification and tree planting. If the rules are adhered to, then the remaining 40 per cent sites will be released, officials explain.
"Till now, there was no such legal binding on the developers and hence property buyers were being taken for a ride. Henceforth, the undertaking will force the developers to adhere to rules. The rules also specify that unless the basic civic amenities are not created, sites under the second stage should not be released,"officials added.