(a) whether the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) is helping in
construction of modern multi-storey buildings by using modern technique;
(b) if so, whether the said council has succeeded in construction and development of
earthquake resistant buildings;
(c) if so, the details of technique suggested for construction of building;
(d) whether use of these techniques have been made mandatory in National Earthquake Zone;and
(e) if so, the detail thereof?
MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION(KUMARI SELJA)
(a) to (e): The Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) is not
involved in the construction of multi-storey buildings. However, the Council has published a
priced publication on Guidelines for Improving Earthquake Resistance of Housing including
multi-storey structures. The Guidelines are based on Indian Standards and Codes IS 1893,
IS 4326 and IS 13920.
In the demonstration structures constructed by the Council, necessary earthquake resistant
features such as providing corner reinforcement, plinth and lintel level bands etc. as
stipulated in the relevant Indian Standards and Codes are essentially provided. The Council
has also undertaken the exercise of propagating seismic strengthening techniques of existing
masonry buildings and has done seismic strengthening of some lifeline buildings such as Kupwara
Sub-Divisional Hospital in Jammu & Kashmir, 5 schools of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and two
school buildings in Uttarakhand, besides several buildings in Gujarat.
An Expert Committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and serviced by BMTPC prepared
model amendments in Town and Country Planning Acts, Land Use Zoning Regulations and Building
Regulation and copies of the same were circulated to State Governments/Union Territories
requesting them to review and adopt the recommendations as per the prevailing disaster
vulnerability in the States/Union Territories. The Council also organized workshops for
the States in this regard.