CHENNAI: In a bid to cut red tape and ensure faster approval, the state government has directed the Directorate of Town and Country Planning officials to clear the files by asking comprehensive queries to the developers rather than going for a piecemeal query.
This comes after a Government Order (GO) has been passed for effective implementation of the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules 2019. Welcoming the GO, S Sridharan, CREDAI chairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter, told Express that this was a long-pending demand by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association, and several representations had been given to deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
“This would be a huge relief for developers as many have been forced to run pillar to post by the field officers raising queries,” said Sridharan. As per the GO, officials have been directed not to raise queries in a piecemeal way. They should rather send in a single comprehensive letter seeking for details.
The officials have also been asked not to raise a new set queries on the application. Similarly, while sending letters through a registered post, the officials are also mandated to send an email to the applicant.
The GO also states that the applicant should be given an opportunity to have a joint sitting with officials to discuss and resolve issues, if any.
Similarly, the tentative layout drawings submitted by the developer may be granted permission without resorting to prepare a new layout pattern afresh. Meanwhile, field officers in the Directorate of Town and Country Planning have been given power to collect centage charges along with infrastructure and amenities charges and development charges while releasing the plan to the local body, according to a Government Order.