CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has introduced a standardised fee structure for self-certification of residential buildings, addressing long-standing concerns about inconsistent charges across administrative zones. This follows introduction of a self-certification plan for smaller residential projects by the govt.
In July, the govt unveiled a self-certification-based building plan approval system aimed at reducing procedural hurdles for constructing smaller residential buildings. This applies to single or double-story residential buildings with a built-up area of up to 3,500 sq ft on plots not exceeding 2,500 sq ft.
Earlier this month, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department issued a Govt Order (GO) rationalising building plan approval fees under a single category for various types of developments. The new framework classifies buildings in village panchayats into four groups based on their location and proximity to urban areas.
For residential buildings in the self-certification category, peri-urban villages within CMDA limits, numbering 78, are charged 27 per sq ft. Peri-urban village panchayats, comprising 612 villages, have a rate of 25 per sq ft. Village panchayats within CMDA limits, which total 44, are charged 22 per sq ft. The remaining 11,791 village panchayats, forming the largest group, have a rate of 15 per sq ft.
For commercial buildings, it’s 32, 30, 26 and 18 per sq ft for the respective categories and for industrial buildings it’s 43, 40, 35 and 24 per sq ft. These charges exclude the Construction Workers Welfare Fund, mandated under the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Work) Act, 1982, and the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Construction Workers) Welfare Scheme.
The govt has also asked executive authority of village panchayats to fix layout approval fees through resolutions passed, aimed at bringing clarity and uniformity to the building permit process.
Developers welcomed this, saying the previous system’s varying fees across different jurisdictions often led to complications. “Earlier there were different fee including for building licence and scrutiny. Now this fee under single head can help residents apply for building permission and get instant approval,” S Ramprabhu, chairman, DTCP committee, Builders Association of India.
