Bangalore: Bellary’s richie-rich politicians are giving the phrase “over the top” a whole new meaning. Not for them helipads on skyscrapers. They want it right there on their own terraces.
Bellary MLA and health minister B Sriramulu, the young turk of Hospet, now rechristened Vijayanagara, and MLA Anand Singh are building bungalows in their hometowns, with helipads incorporated in the building plans. Sriramulu is said to have applied for a clearance from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Sriramulu and tourism minister G Janardhan Reddy own vast expanses of land on Siriguppa Road in Bellary at the foot of the historical fort. Though there is a helipad opposite the upcoming Reddy fortress with its high walls, Sriramulu wants one more on the terrace of his office-cum-residence. The cost of such enormous housing projects is anybody’s guess!
Toeing the revised National Building Code rules, the fire force department has made it mandatory for commercial/residential buildings that scale 60 metres and above to have helipads. While UB City was the trendsetter in Bangalore, Hotel ITC Gardenia, Brigade’s property in Whitefield, two IT companies on Bannerghatta Road, and a residential apartment in Shantinagar are among those buildings having helipads. The department has so far issued NoCs to 35 highrises.
“The rule is the same, whether it’s commercial or residential buildings. If buildings above 60 metres have not made provision for a helipad, the fire department will deny them an NoC. We have not received any applications from Bellary or Hospet for NoCs. The intention is to provide a safe exit during emergencies like fires.
17/06/11 S Kushala/Bangalore Mirror
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