The trend for the high rise buildings in Bangalore
started during late eighties when the builders from Bombay launched building
projects in Bangalore. The attraction was rapid growth of Bangalore between 1971-81
which was the highest in Asia in addition to the salubrious climate, beauty,
(this is almost lost today) cheaper land, and higher F.A.R. permissible
compared to Bombay and the hospitable citizens of Bangalore. Rahejas, Ranka,embassy, mittal, Bhaktavar are some of the builders who started theiractivities in Bangalore during that time. Local entrepreneurs also started
building activity like: Prestige, India Builders and others. Their intention
was to make most of the situation.
Due to enormous potential for building activity,
hundreds of apartments and considerable number of commercial complexes had come
up in Bangalore. Apartment living was new to Bangalore. Those who lived in
flats were mostly outsiders. Local people even now like to have independent
houses.
To enable regulation of apartments, the following two
acts were passed in Karnataka on the lines of Mumbai acts: l.Karnataka
ownership Act, 1972. 2. Karnataka Ownership flats (Regulation of the Promotionof construction, sale management and transfer) Act, 1972. Even now majority of
the apartment dwellers are not aware of these acts, and rules issued under
these acts, which came into force from 2.04.1975. No one is following these
ACTS.
In Bangalore the Co-operative Housing Societies or the
Owners Associations are being followed, the choice being left to the group of
buyers of flats.
Most of the Co-operative societies were registered
under the Co- operative Societies Act.
Associations are registered under the Karnataka
Societies Registration Act, 1960. In Mumbai, a group of persons form a housing
society, mobilize funds, purchase land, build apartment, live in the apartment
and maintain the building. Where as in Bangalore, builders build the apartment
sell the flats during construction and later.
The buyers form apartment Housing Society / Owners
association for only maintenance purposes. The builders register the flats in
favour of the buyers. Later transaction is between the owner of the flat and
the subsequent buyer. The seller relinquishes his membership in the Society/
Association and the buyers become a member of the Society/Association.
Bye
laws:
After registration, the Apartment Society frames itsbye laws and gets it approved from the Co-operative Department or under society act. The bye laws should be in accordance with the Act and provisions. The
byelaws provide for election of Committee and office bearers for management of
the society Elections to the Committee in case of housing Co-op Society are
conducted by the Returning Officer appointed by the Co-operative Department as
per procedure. In the case of Association or Society, the General Body elects
the office bearers.
Bye laws provides for membership, General Body Meeting,
Special General Body Meeting.
Committee, powers of the committee, accounts &
audit and in general management of the Housing Society or Association. The
Department of Co-operative approves the Bye laws and returns to the Society for
following the provisions.
In case of an Association, the Registrar of Societies
along with the Memorandum approves Rules and Regulations of the Owners
Association.
Services
Rendered:
The services provided by the society/ Association are
water supply, general lighting, lifts, security, cleaning of the premises,
garbage removal, gardening, colour washing, periodical painting, civil works
repairs, water supply and drainage repairs, electrical repairs etc. As there is
power shortage in the state with power cut twice a day, generator service for
lift, common area lighting, and pumping of water is provided in some buildings.
Intercom facilities from the flats to the security area
is also provided in some buildings, club, health club, swimming pool, dishantenna & library facilities are provided in luxury apartments. Some
societies also organize social activities for the benefit of residents.
PERSONNEL
FOR MAINTENANCE SERVICES:
a.
Security: Security arrangements are made through a securityagency or by appointing security personnel directly by the Society!Association. Two or Three shifts are arranged to the convenience.
The security personnel are also entrusted with the
water pumping duties to maintain water supply through out the day from borewelland B.W.S.S.B. water, responsibility of common area lighting, reporting in caseof lift problem etc., is also entrusted to the security-men. Collection of milk
at security gate is also entrusted to the securitymen. For additional income,
the security men clean the vehicles of the occupants during their off period.
They also get tips when they help the occupants for odd jobs. Occupants help
useful security men with food, clothes, tips loan etc. the security men are
also used to send messages and letters by the occupants.
b.
Sweeper: Sweeper is entrusted with removal of garbage baskets
from the doors of flats, which are dumped on the roadside garbage bins, or
other arrangement to clean the garbage. They sweep the common area and are
supposed to maintain the premises clean. They are also useful for odd jobs of
the occupants.
c.
Gardeners: Gardeners maintain the plants and lawn where garden is
maintained. In case of only a few plants frequent supervision by a gardener or
watering of plants by the sweeper is arranged.
d.
Plumber/Electrician: The services of a plumber are arranged in
some apartments! complexes for one or two hours fixed according to convenience.
He will help in replacement of washers in taps and
stoppage of minor leaks.
Similarly services of an electrician, or a plumber-cum-
electrician service is arranged.
e.
Secretary / Manager: A paid Secretary in case of an apartment
Society / or a Manager in case of commercial complexes is employed. His duty is
to send maintenance bills to the occupants, collect maintenance charges,
maintain accounts, supervise the work of security men, sweeper, gardener,
plumber, and electrician and provide liaison between the occupants and the
office bearers. He will also arrange for maintenance repairs and replacements.
He will assist in the conduct of meetings, payment of water and electricity
bills, and correspondence. Good maintenance depends of an effective and useful
Secretary / Manager.
Maintenance
Charges:
Maintenance charges fixed to cover the routine chargeslike salaries, water and electricity bills, minor repairs, correspondence,
overheads, and extra amount to maintain a development fund to meet major
repairs like replacement of motors and pumps, water supply and drainage
arrangement, replacement of borewell pipes, replacement of water proof course,
replacing electrical wiring system etc. Fixation of maintenance subject, which
attracts arguments between the office bearers and the occupants. In some casesadditional resources are generated by leasing additional parking spaces,advertisement hoardings, S.T.D. booths etc. transfer or N.O.C fee is also
collected whenever, there is resale of flat office on its / shops.
Good management enables availability of adequate funds
of good maintenance and major repairs. Occupants should elect service minded
officer bearers in their own interest for good facilities and living
environment.
Absentee land lords: Normally 10% or more flats in
apartments of Bangalore are owned by outsiders from Bombay, Cal-cutta,
Hyderabad and other places in India as well as from abroad. The percentage
being more in the apartments of Cantonment, Central areas, and Bangalore south.
Nowadays apartment constructions has spread all over Bangalore including out
skirts. The problem with the absentee land lords is that regular payment of
maintenance charges is not possible and payments is arranged at their
convenience. This affects regular income of the Society / Association.
Another problem in such cases is that if water or
sullage is leaking in those flats, getting it repaired to avoid loss of water
or dampness is difficult. Absentee land lords also affect quorum in meetings ofthe Society / Association.
Non-residential
uses in apartments:
In the byelaws of the Society / Association
non-residential uses are prohibited to see that Municipal Corporation and
B.D.A. Acts are not violated. But invariably in apartments located in central
areas and important localities non-residential uses are existing and such uses
increase from time to time. Doctor's clinic, advocate's offices, travel
agencies, company offices etc., are normally observed in apartments. Society /
Association should discourage such non residential uses as it affects security
& peaceful residential nature of the apartment.
The Corporation officials also assess such flats to
collect more house tax and such uses get regularized. This affects the otherflat owners as rental value is increased in such apartments and owner occupantsare forced to pay more taxes.
Social problem is another problem in case of families
with young daughters when non-residential uses are permitted.
Water
supply Problems:
Residential apartments require large
quantity of water for domestic purposes. While one borewell is compulsory more
than one borewell are located depending on the number of flats or yield of the
borewell.
In the beginning separate sump tanks, separate motor
& pump, separate overhead tank and separate pipes for distribution are
arranged to separate B.W.S.S.B. water and borewell water. But, later due to
lazy security men and inactive office bearers separate water supply is not
continued. Consequently, in some apartments a tap is provided near the pumproom to collect only drinking water required by some occupants.
The sump tanks and overhead tanks are to be got cleaned
frequently to supply safe and pure water. But very rarely this is being done
forcing occupants to use aqua guards or other water purifiers for drinking and
cooking water requirements.
Like electricity arrangement where meter and main
switches are provided separately for each flat, for water supply separate
control values and meters are not provided. Delays by occupants to get water
leakage repaired or leakage in locked flats will affect other occupants by
higher water bills and dampness in adjoining or lower flats. If roof in a lower
flat is damp due to leakage in the upper floor flat, the lower flat occupant
has to get the same repaired at his cost.
This is the practice observed in apartments. If car
parking floor roof is damp the society/ Association has to get the repairs done
as otherwise the Car parking area will be affected due to dripping of water,
dirty appearance and damages to electrical wiring in the car parking area roof.
As the water supply and drainage pipe arrangements are complicated, dampness in
the roof and walls affecting colour washing and built in furniture is a common
problem in most of the apartments.
Due to long hours of pumping, large quantity of water
required by number of flats, the motors, pumps, and foot valve get affected and
frequent costly repairs become necessary. Maintaining water supply with sparepumping set or by requesting occupants to collect water from ground levels tapsbecomes necessary quite often.
Electricity:
Electricity room is located in the basement!ground
floor of apartment! commercial complexes. As large numbers of wires are
connected to the electric room; safe meter board with sufficient clearance from
meter and main switch system of each flat is necessary for safety from short
circuits.
The K.E.B. meter reader issues bills according to meter
numbers. The Secretary/Manager has to distribute the bills indicating flat
number in each bill. Sometimes due to oversight wrong flat numbers are written
on the bills, which will result in arguments with affected flat owners.
Whenever tube lights and bulbs are fused quick
replacements has to be arranged to avoid objection from occupants. It is
necessary to have an arrangement to get an electrician at short notice. In someapartments/ complexes services of plumber- cum- electrician for one or twohours in a day is arranged to attend to minor electrical problems in the flator common areas.
Lifts:
The occupants expect a good lift service in multistory
buildings as they do not like climbing the stairs when lifts are not working
especially by aged and obese persons. In apartments and busy complexes we
observe use of lifts continuously. In view of power shortage only one lift is
allowed to be used alternatively after few days. Older busy lifts give trouble
frequently. Service contract for lift service is a must. Lift companiesmaintain their own brand oflifts and provide parts only if they maintain. Thereare a few service contractors who maintain any brand oflift. How they manage to
get parts from companies is not understood. Their secret understanding with
lift company officials is suspected.
The private lift contractors charge from Rs.5S0/- to
Rs.800/- per lift per month depending on service only or including minor parts.
Their mechanics attend to repairs when called or once/ twice in a month for
check up. Established general lift contractors maintain lifts of more than 100
buildings. When there is no repair during a month their mechanic mayor may not
visit to check up. But promptly claim the bill. As result of this, in some
buildings the office bearers insist obtaining signatures of Manager/any
occupant as proof of their visit.
Service contractors having covert deals with the
Secretary/Manager/ Security man are common.
The lift service contractors make easy money by
maintaining two or three mechanics paying about Rs.ISOO/- to Rs.2S00/- p.m.
This business does not require investments. But good income is possible.
In addition to this they also make false claims. As
there is heavy demand for service contracts and only a few are in the field,
some of the lift contractors dictate terms and suddenly stop lift by removing
fuse or any other part to create inconvenience if their demands are not met.
Some secretaries/Managers collude with them. The office bearers of the
Society/Association should be vigilant about this matter.
Gardening:
Whether there is enough space or not landscaping/indoor
plants in common areas is necessary to beautify the premises to avoid dull
concrete surfaces. Full time Gardener in case of adequate area/plants or part
time/additional duty to supervision by gardeners are to be arranged accordingto the requirements.
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