

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced new guidelines and fee for obtaining building permits through a single window portal, based on self-certification.
This initiative, introduced by Chief Minister M K Stalin on July 22, aims to facilitate the construction of individual houses without commercial intent, particularly benefiting the middle class.
The process eliminates the need for a completion certificate, review fee and infrastructure development charges for residential structures having ground or ground-plus-one floors and plot sizes up to 2,500 square feet, with a built-up area up to 3,500 square feet. The fees for these approvals are consistent with existing charges, ensuring no additional financial burden on applicants.
The GCC detailed the fee structure for self-certification-based permits -- a development fee of Rs 15 per square meter, a building permit fee of Rs 600 per square metre, a Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Fund fee of Rs 267 per square metre and a road cut restoration fee of Rs 194 per square metre, totalling Rs 1,076 per square metre or Rs 100 per square foot. Previously, the total fee for building permits through completion certificate was Rs 99.70 per square foot, making the new fee structure nearly identical to it.