CHENNAI: Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has increased powers to local bodies for issuing planning permission for residential buildings. A Government Order (GO) to this effect was passed after the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), TN, urged the DTCP to simplify the process in granting permission for small buildings by increasing the power being delegated to the local bodies.
As per the GO, local bodies can now accord approval to building plans for residential use of a total built up area of up to 10,000 sq.ft and up to eight dwelling units not exceeding 12 m in height and up to stilt plus three floors or ground plus two floors. Currently, local bodies can grant approvals to building plans for residential use of total built up area up to 7,000 sq.ft and up to eight dwelling units not exceeding 12 m in height.
Similarly, it can also accord approval to buildings with stilt plus three floors or ground plus two floors and building plan for commercial use of total built up area up to 300 sq.m not exceeding 12 metre in height for other bodies within Chennai Metropolitan Area and 2,000 sq.ft and up to stilt plus two floors or ground plus one floor for other local bodies in the State. S Sridharan, chairman, CREDAI-TN Chapter, said they welcome the move by the State government. However, he added the same powers should be accorded to local bodies in Chennai too.