New Gujarat Rule: Societies Under 10 Years May Have To Pay For Roads, Water, Drainage And Streetlights

Residents of housing societies less than 10 years old may now have to bear the cost of basic civic infrastructure such as roads, water supply, drainage and streetlights, following a change in the Gujarat government's rules governing works funded through public participation schemes.

The change, communicated to the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and other urban local bodies, restricts the use of government grants for basic facility works in societies whose assessment period on municipal tax records has not completed 10 years.

10-Year Assessment Period Made Key Criterion

Under the revised policy, only housing societies that have completed 10 years from their assessment period will be eligible for basic infrastructure works through the public participation scheme using government grants.

Societies below the 10-year threshold will not be eligible for the same government-funded assistance for works such as roads, drainage, water supply and streetlights.

The decision is expected to affect a large number of newer housing societies in Surat, where hundreds of residential developments are added every year.

Earlier, Residents Paid Only ₹5,000 Application Fee

Under the earlier arrangement, residents of housing societies could seek basic infrastructure works by applying through the concerned SMC zone and paying an application fee of around ₹5,000.

The cost of the work was largely supported through government funding, with the municipal corporation contributing around 30 per cent and the state government providing the remaining 70 per cent, according to the information available.

This allowed residents to obtain basic civic facilities without bearing the full cost of repairing or replacing infrastructure.

Developers Often Complete Initial Infrastructure

In many newly developed societies, basic infrastructure is initially provided by developers. However, residents can face problems within a few years, including damaged internal roads, inadequate drainage, water-related issues and malfunctioning streetlights.

Under the previous system, residents could approach the civic administration for assistance when such infrastructure required repairs or replacement.

The new eligibility condition means residents of younger societies may have to arrange and pay for such works themselves until their assessment period crosses the 10-year mark.

Surat Societies Likely To Feel The Impact

Surat has witnessed rapid residential development, with new housing societies being established across different parts of the city.

The revised rule could therefore have a direct financial impact on residents of recently established societies, particularly where infrastructure deteriorates before the society becomes eligible for government-supported works.

The government has communicated the revised policy to municipal bodies, including the SMC, changing the basis on which societies can access grants for public participation works.

For residents of societies under 10 years old, the change effectively means that repairs or replacement of roads, drainage, water infrastructure and streetlights could become an out-of-pocket expense until the eligibility period is completed.