CHENNAI: Soon, buildings in the State, including in Chennai, may be governed by common building rules (CBR). The government has prepared a blueprint to frame ‘Tamil Nadu Common Building Rules, 2016’ for local bodies as per the Model Building bye-laws.
The CBR for entire state would mean that there will not be different sets of rules for corporations, municipalities, town panchayats and panchayats.
Once the new rules come into force, a set of 60 rules will govern construction of buildings across the State. The new rules also have several clauses such as need to get occupancy certificate and completion certificate.
As per the proposed rules, an applicant or owner or power of attorney holder or registered developer or any other person who is acquiring interest should not put the building to use without obtaining Occupancy Certificate from the executive authority of the local body or agency or person to whom this power has been delegated. The draft rules also make building permit granted under these rules valid for three years from the date of issue and the construction should be completed within the deadline. However, it could be renewed on application made before the expiry date. The permit could be extended only once.
Similarly, it has included building norms for the differently-abled, senior citizens and children besides updating fire safety provisions.
Association of Professional Town Planners (APTP) president K M Sadanand, who has been instrumental in pushing for CBR said the State drafted rules in 1999. It was approved in 2000 but was scrapped in six months.
“In 2004, the move to draft was started again and the draft was ready by 2009. However, it was not implemented,” said Sadanand, who later took the issue to court in 2010. In 2012, the Madras High Court passed an order to consider Sadanand’s petition and to enact rules in four months but it was never done following which a contempt petition was filed. The then Housing Secretary agreed to comply. “Now you have the Common Building Rules,” said Sadanand.
The State government has also sought views on the draft from the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Authority of India (CREDAI), Builders Association of India, Indian Institute of Architects and Association of Professional Town Planners.
The former national president of Builders’ Association of India R Radhakrishnan said the common building rules should be prepared by involving consumers and developers also. “It can not be prepared by the government alone,” he said.