The Manipur Government has allowed the construction of buildings till seven storeys in the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) limits which were earlier restricted to three storeys. Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development Department Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh has opined that the decision has been taken in order save the paddy fields and to prevent the construction on agricultural lands which lie on the outskirts of the town. The minister added that the decision has been taken after consulting the experts and architects, however, he asserted that the construction of seven storeys will be allowed only after obtaining the due permissions.

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'The restriction led to horizontal construction'

Singh also opined that the earlier restriction for three storeys has led to increased horizontal construction than vertical growth, leading to more pressure on the land. 

He has urged the builders to follow the norms and adhere to the safety procedures while constructing the buildings as Manipur lies in a seismic zone-5, which is known to be the most earthquake-prone zone, causing frequent earthquakes in the region. In the last year alone, the state recorded as many as 32 earthquakes. In 2016, an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 on a Richter scale hit Manipur, killing six people and damaging numerous buildings. Officials declared that going forward the constructions will have to be quake-resistant while the already constructed buildings will have to be improved to the level of established norms of construction in a seismic zone and the designs of the constructions will have to be approved from the registered structural engineers before the beginning of the construction.

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Construction without approvals have resulted in unfortunate incidents

Singh added that people have been constructing multi-storeys buildings without getting approval from the authorities concerned which have resulted in unfortunate incidents in the past.

As per the report, the state government has taken the necessary steps to protect the ever-increasing construction of buildings and structures on agricultural lands. Over the years, the state has seen a drastic decrease in agricultural products owing to increasing construction of buildings on farmlands. Despite the decision to allow the construction of the seven-story buildings within IMC areas, the restrictions still prevail in the case of security zones.

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(With PTI inputs)