HYDERABAD: The state government has amended building rules to raise the high-rise threshold from 18 metres to 21 metres and rationalise Transferable Development Rights (TDR). The changes, which take immediate effect, are expected to encourage vertical growth while upholding stringent safety and structural standards.
The amendments were issued by MAUD Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan after examining representations from stakeholders. The aim is to streamline TDR utilisation and facilitate ease of development across urban areas, officials said.
Buildings of 21 metres and above will now be classified as high-rise, giving developers greater design flexibility. However, structures such as chimneys, cooling towers, lift rooms, water tanks and architectural features will not be counted towards height.
The revised rules apply to municipal corporations, urban development authorities and municipalities across the state. High-rise buildings will be subject to stricter norms, including mandatory Fire NOC approvals.
Under the revised TDR norms, buildings above 10 floors and up to 20 floors must allocate 3% of the built-up area above the 10th floor towards TDR, while buildings exceeding 20 floors must allocate 5% above that level.
Major relief for property developers
Developers are required to submit 50% of TDR at the time of building permission approval, with the remaining 50% to be submitted before obtaining the Occupancy Certificate, a move officials say ensures accountability while maintaining project momentum.
For plots ranging from 750 sq m to 2,000 sq m, buildings with heights between 18 metres and 21 metres will be permitted only through TDR, subject to parking and other norms. In non-high-rise buildings, setback relaxation can be availed through TDR while maintaining the minimum prescribed limits in road widening cases. In high-rise buildings, setback relaxation of up to 10% is permitted through TDR, subject to a minimum seven-metre all-round setback.
In cases where Master Plan roads are modified, reduced or deleted, applicants may either pay applicable development or conversion charges or submit equivalent TDR. The amendments also revise provisions for additional floors in plots exceeding 2,000 sq m — up to three additional floors for plots abutting 40-foot roads, four for 60-foot roads and five for 80-foot roads, subject to statutory clearances.
Officials said that under the January 2026 Government Order, 10% TDR was mandatory for all floors above the 10th floor and had to be submitted upfront. The revised norms ease this burden by lowering TDR requirements and allowing phased submission, providing relief to the real estate sector. The amended rules come into immediate effect and will be published in the official Gazette.