Single window clearance must for building approval

It is indeed a bold move by the government and a news to be rejoiced by the real estate community in the state. Deemed approval is one regulation that the builders have been seeking for a while now. If the approvals are not cleared within the specified timeline of 30 days, the system must ensure that the authorities are answerable to the parties involved. However, in reality it is not the first time such a an announcement is made by the government, but none of this in the past had led to any positive outcome. There are several steps and initiatives to be taken by the government in this area. But what is truly lacking after the grand announcements, is the ‘follow-up process’. This is the first challenge which needs to be addressed, if not done then it will remain a grand announcement and nothing will happen in reality. 

Secondly, unlike in RERA they don’t say if the plan is not approved within 30 days then it is deemed approval. Instead what they say is “ if you don’t hear anything from the local authorities within 30 days, then it is deemed to be approved”. However, under this rule if the government authorities do not share information within 30 days, then it is deemed to be approved. What happens invariably is that the local authorities raise a query for clarification closer to the end of the timeline, which in turn gives them an unlimited extension of time. This never ending loop leads to several delays and difficulties in approvals of plans. Unless government resolves this, the dream of having a house will be shattered. 

There must be proper procedure to prevent this from happening. If there are queries then it must come within one week; and from the day every revised plan submitted addressing the query from the date of submission again in 30 days it should be cleared. Once they raise query and all those queries are addressed, the revised plan submitted should be approved within 30 days. If it is not approved within 30 days, then it is deemed approval. They shall not raise further queries. That is how it should be.

Additionally, there should be single window clearance system, because they will ask several NOC’s, certificate, clearances for several other departments like revenue, registration, ND, Police, Fire etc. and if all of them delay, it will defeat the whole purpose. Without single window system it is not going to be of any help. From the view of the builders this will otherwise be is a hallow process.  

Another announcement that the local bodies will be empowered to give approval for ground plus one building of even larger sizes is a welcome move as smaller builders or public who  construct buildings which are not high raise can get this advantage of getting their approval from the local body itself.