The state housing department has relaxed planning permission norms for residential, commercial and institutional use buildings outside Chennai metropolitan area.
After ensuring the land is fit, builders and realtors apply for permission online through Licenced Building Surveyors (authorised engineers). After scrutiny of documents, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) officials inspect the site, go through hard copies of requisite documents and then give approval.
Until last year, permission for non high-rise buildings (less than 60 feet) was given only by assistant directors, deputy directors or joint directors of DTCP with offices in Chennai. It took 2-3 months for applications to be cleared and delays became inevitable in case directors had queries regarding documents submitted online.
To avoid such delays, DTCP allowed district-level officials to grant permission for buildings with a Floor Space Index of less than 40,000 sq ft. But this came with a rider. Districts can consider such applications only when plots are undivided.
G Pandian, a builder from Madurai, said this defeated the purpose as most plots, considered for residential buildings and educational institutions, were detached and had two or more blocks. “We have to invariably travel to Chennai in case of queries.”
DTCP director B Ganesan on April 11 allowed district officials to consider all plots (with FSI or 40,000 sq ft or less) even if they have multiple blocks. The relaxation has been extended to industrial buildings outside government’s SIPCOT or SIDCO layouts.
As per a letter from Ganesan to all district officials, building proposals exceeding the FSI and height limits should be forwarded to the DTCP headquarters in city and any subsequent development over and above the already approved plans should also be sent to HQ.