KOCHI: Buyers of land plots find themselves in a bind as sellers flout regulations leaving them stranded. Rule 31 of Kerala Building Rules mandates that when selling over 10 plots or half a hectare of land per plot, a portion must be reserved for communal relaxation areas, typically around 10% for an acre of land benefitting residents at large.

According to the rule, layout approval for plots must be obtained from the District Town Planning Office or Local Body Secretary, a requirement implemented in 2019. However, many land dealers circumvent this process, often facilitated by middlemen who sell plots without proper registration leaving buyers vulnerable.

The repercussions of this deceit emerge when buyers seek building permits from local authorities, only to discover they cannot erect structures on their purchased properties leading to potential legal battles.

To safeguard against such pitfalls, the Local Government Department issued guidelines urging buyers to insist on verified documents ensure public space allocation within layouts, demand five-meter-wide roads and allow construction within four meters from the road facilitating building construction.