NoC delay not to hit plan approvals in hill areas

In a communication, Housing and Urban Development secretary Rajesh Lakhoni instructed the DTCP to delegate powers of approving building plans to local planning authorities or zonal deputy directors. As per this instruction, plan approvals would be given at the local level for hill areas that have an approved masterplan.

Earlier, the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) had the absolute power to approve planning permission in these areas. The simplification of building approval in hill areas came after an announcement was made in the State Assembly. “Planning approval should be given after availing no-objection from the Mines department, Forest department and others. If the PCCF delays no-objection for more than 30 days, it may be considered that the no-objection has been given. However, revenue divisional officers’ no-objection is a must,” the letter said.

Meanwhile, the landowners should continue to approach HACA for reclassification of land use. For the urban hill areas, HACA consent is mandatory for layouts spread across more than one hectare. Also, HACA consent is mandatory for more than two-hectare-layout in rural hill areas.

For the hill areas that do not have approved masterplans, no-objection from Forest, Mines, Agriculture and revenue divisional officers is mandatory for building plan approval. Rajesh Lakhoni also directed the director of DTCP to issue a circular implementing the new process.