CMDA’s upgraded portal to make plan approvals easier, faster

“The new software is being created along with the DTCP (Directorate of Town and Country Planning) and the project is nearing completion. Once the new online system is rolled out, planning permission and approval system will be carried out completely online,” Anshul Mishra, member-secretary of CMDA said.

He added that the process of planning approval gets delayed presently due to certain documents being handed over manually. Builders are asked to submit hard copies of drawings and other documents after sending the application online despite an online system in place.

Meanwhile, the realtors welcomed the move and urged the planning authority to introduce a single-window system along with the new online system.

S Sridharan, chairman of policy advocacy (urban development and housing), which is a part of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), said the government has announced fixing a time frame for approvals up to 60 days. “Once the new online system comes into effect, we are expecting that the time frame will be implemented. Presently, planning approvals get delayed based on the number of queries,” he added.

Sridharan also opined that the online system should make the process of getting No Objection Certificates from other agencies easier by implementing a single-window system.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has already implemented a complete online planning approval system and fixed a time frame for processing the applications. As per the standard operating procedure, planning permission applications addressed to the civic body should be disposed of within 30 days.

Meanwhile, CMDA approved as many as 308 planning permissions for non-high rise buildings from 2020. Also, planning permissions for 57 high rise buildings and 34 planning permissions for industries and institution buildings have been given in 2021.