KOLKATA: The real estate sector in Kolkata has called on the state government to lift the ban on high-rise construction projects immediately, asserting that the audit process can proceed concurrently with regulated activities at construction sites.
Developers are ready to submit formal commitments to ensure compliance with all legal, structural, and safety standards, allowing suspended projects to resume without indefinite delays for approvals. The government’s deadline for completion of the audit expires on Friday, and only around 10% of the affected projects have received clearance to restart construction so far.
Construction was halted at 344 high-rise projects in Kolkata, as well as around 150 more in South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly, following the Taratala warehouse collapse on June 24 that resulted in 16 fatalities. The prohibition applies to all under-construction residential buildings with five or more stories.
Industry leaders have expressed that the prolonged suspension is adversely affecting homebuyers, contractors, suppliers, and daily wage workers while increasing costs for developers who need to maintain inactive sites. They acknowledge the necessity of the government’s safety audit but argue it should not halt the entire sector when builders are prepared to accept accountability through written assurances.
Currently, only about 10% of the affected projects have been authorized to resume work. In Kolkata, construction has restarted for 32 projects, and sources indicate that approximately 30 additional projects have been approved by the technical committee, awaiting ratification by the high-level committee led by additional chief secretary Rajesh Pandey. With Pandey’s new appointment as DVC chairman and managing director, there is uncertainty regarding who will lead the panel and when the pending clearances will be granted.
“We have urged the government to permit construction to resume while project audits are ongoing. Builders can provide an undertaking that all legal requirements have been met. Even with immediate clearance, it will take about a month to mobilize workers and restart operations. The deadlines for project completion have already been pushed back, affecting thousands of homebuyers. Allowing work to resume will prevent further delays,” stated a representative from Credai, an umbrella organization for major developers.
Developers mention that remobilization won’t be instantaneous since many laborers have left sites, contractors have shifted equipment, and supply schedules have been disrupted. Each additional week of suspension further delays timelines and increases the likelihood of disputes with buyers.
Credai has already approached the state chief secretary for a six-month extension of RERA completion deadlines, citing supply-chain disruptions due to the conflict in Iran and local interruptions in Bengal related to the SIR process during elections. They argue that lifting the embargo with formal commitments would achieve a balance between safety oversight, buyer interests, and overall economic activity in the construction sector.
