The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority(CMDA) has integrated online planning permission software with 10 NOC-issuing departments. But builders and others say the departments involved in issuing NOCs should be given a deadline to clear applications to prevent inordinate delay.
CMDA officials say there are 21 departments including state and Union government agencies involved in issuing NOCs to highrise, non-highrise buildings and layouts and sub-division approval in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
Developers say a lot of time is wasted in getting NOCs from different departments. “As of now we have integrated with 10 departments including metro rail, PWD, ELCOT, Tamil Nadu Housing Board, highways, geology and mines, forests, water resources department and Southern Railway,” said a CMDA official.
After an applicant, mostly the architect representing the builder, applies for permission by uploading drawings on cmdaonlineppa.tn.gov.in, he/she receives, after scrutiny, an alert about obtaining NOCs from the departments mentioned. “On the portal, the applicant can select the respective departments from the NOC section, and will be linked to the government’s single window portal. On filling the requisite details, the application will be available in NOC issuing department’s login,” the official said.
Once the NOC is issued, it will reflect in the plan permission portal. “The applicant can also track the status. After CMDA inspection, if further NOCs are required, the same process can be followed.”
On average, officials say, 7-8 applications are received daily for non-highrise buildings. “Earlier, we used to get only one application for highrise buildings. Now, the number has increased to six,” he said.
In the coming months, applicants will know the departments from which they need clearance immediately after they apply for planning permission. “They will get a mail immediately and won’t have to wait for our scrutiny.”
S Ramaprabhu, committee chairman (municipal and DTCP), Builders Association of India, said a time-period should be fixed, at least for state departments, to get the NOC cleared. “If this is not done the entire purpose of integration will be defeated. Sometimes it takes one month to get an NOC,” he said.
A CREDAI member said that though the CMDA’s intentions are right, the timeline of getting NOC is an issue. “The deemed approval concept should come to place. Only then can responsibility be fixed if the application is not cleared within the stipulated time,” said a member.
