Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 25 Feb: Taking serious cognisance of the increasing seismic vulnerability rating of Uttarakhand, the State Government has initiated a significant step towards making building construction regulations more secure and scientifically robust. Following the inclusion of the entire State under Seismic Zone VI as per Indian Standard ISO 1893-2025, a comprehensive amendment of the existing building bye-laws has become necessary and the government has started preparations to bring comprehensive amendments in the building byelaws. In this regard, on the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has constituted a 14-member high-level committee under the chairmanship of Prof R Pradeep Kumar, Director of CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee, to review and revise the current building bye-laws. Director of ULMMC, Dehradun, Shantanu Sarkar, has also been appointed as the Member Secretary of the committee.
It may be reminded here that the prevailing building bye-laws in Uttarakhand are presently based on the older version of the Bureau of Indian Standards code, ISO 1893-2002. Dehradun in that code had been categorised into Zone IV.
According to the officials, the committee will comprise representatives from CBRI Roorkee, the Bureau of Indian Standards, IIT, Bridge Construction and Development Corporation Limited (BRIDCUL), the Public Works Department, the Irrigation Department, the Department of Town and Country Planning, various Development Authorities and the geological experts, along with other technical institutions. The panel will also hold consultations with architects and engineers from diverse fields. The primary objective of the committee is to conduct a thorough study of the existing bye-laws and align them with updated seismic standards, prevailing climatic conditions and modern construction technologies.
Bardhan stated that, in view of Uttarakhand’s geographical conditions and heightened seismic sensitivity, amendments to the building regulations are imperative. He emphasised that the State Government will take concrete steps to make the building bye-laws more effective, practical and disaster-resilient. The constitution of the expert committee is a part of this initiative and the committee will submit recommendations aimed at strengthening the practicality, safety and disaster-resistance of building norms. He added that the revised regulations will promote safer construction in both urban and rural areas and substantially reduce disaster risks.
During the meeting, Secretary, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman observed that the Government’s objective extends beyond merely altering regulations and seeks to foster a culture of safe construction practices. He added that the revised building bye-laws will place special emphasis on provisions related to earthquake-resistant design, geotechnical investigations, wind load considerations and structural safety. Furthermore, traditional local construction techniques suited to hill regions and climate-responsive development models will also be encouraged to ensure sustainable and disaster-resilient growth.
The implementation of the new building bye-laws is expected to enhance the structural strength of buildings, minimise loss of life and property during disasters and provide renewed direction to safe and sustainable urban development and construction practices in the State. The committee will submit its report to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) and the Housing Department. Based on the recommendations contained in the report, the Housing Department will proceed with necessary amendments and ensure their effective implementation.
The scope of work assigned to the committee includes a detailed review, analysis and assessment of the existing building bye-laws and prevailing construction techniques in Uttarakhand. The committee will draft revised bye-laws incorporating seismic, landslide and other disaster risks prevalent in the State. It will include provisions related to earthquake-resistant design, new construction technologies and structural safety, while scientifically integrating traditional hill construction systems into contemporary regulatory frameworks. Special provisions will also be formulated for environmental protection and climate-resilient construction. Additionally, the committee will also prepare an action plan and operational guidelines for effective enforcement of the revised regulations and suggest measures for training and capacity-building of engineers, planners and departments concerned.
Director, CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee, Prof R Pradeep Kumar will chair the committee, while Director, ULMMC, Dehradun, Shantanu Sarkar will serve as its Member Secretary. The members of the committee include Chief Scientist, CBRI Roorkee, Ajay Chaurasia; Professor, Department of Architecture, IIT Roorkee, Mahua Mukherjee; Scientist ‘B’, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New Delhi, Madhurima Madhav; Senior Rural Housing Adviser, UNDP, PK Das; former Chief Scientist, CBRI, Shimla, Architect SK Negi; nominated representative of the Uttarakhand Housing and Urban Development Authority; Managing Director, BRIDCUL; Chief Engineers and Heads of Department of the Public Works Department and the Irrigation Department; representatives of the Department of Town and Country Planning; representatives of the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority and the Haridwar-Roorkee Development Authority; earthquake expert Dharmendra Kushwaha and geophysicist Vishal Vats, among others.
