The municipal corporation has decided to decentralise the building plan approval system, which is causing inordinate delay much to the chagrin of residents planning to build houses.
Final approval for residential buildings, which are less than 1,500 square feet, will be accorded in zonal offices soon. When the issue of delay was taken up by north zone chairman V Kathirvel in the recent council meeting, corporation commissioner M Prathap said that assistant commissioners will be empowered to clear the plans if the area of construction is up to 1,500 square feet.
Another official said that the civic body is empowered to issue plan approval if extension of construction is less than 10,000 square feet for residential buildings or 2,000 square feet if construction is for commercial purposes.
Requests for approvals for residential buildings, which are more than 1,500 square feet, will be dealt in the corporation’s main office. High-value projects will be inspected directly by the deputy commissioner and commissioner. Such files will be forwarded to the commissioner and deputy commissioner through the city engineer.
“Assistant engineers have been engaged in the building plan approval process. They will be the first-level of officials to check the plan and site,” the official added.
Welcoming the move, former president of the Association of Registered Engineers S Kanagasundaram said that it will help to clear pending requests. He urged the civic body to adopt digital technology to deliver approvals on time.
