Corporation delegates powers to issue building plan approvals

In a move to ensure the building plan approvals are processed within 30 days, the Greater Chennai Corporation has delegated the powers to officials of different ranks based on the size of the buildings.

According to a Chennai Corporation circular, planning approval for non-high rise residential and commercial buildings (with FSI area of maximum 464.50sqm and ground floor plus first floor or stilt plus 2 floors upto a height of 9 meters) will be sanctioned by zonal executive engineers and the applicants should submit the applications at concerned zonal offices. Also, demolition applications for all types of buildings will be sanctioned by the zonal executive engineers.

Planning approval for non-high rise residential and commercial buildings with FSI area of maximum 464.50sqm and ground floor plus 2 floors or stilt plus 3 floors upto a height of 12 meters will be sanctioned by regional superintending engineers and the applicants should submit the applications at concerned zonal offices. All planning approvals with FSI area above 464.50 sqm to 929 sqm with 12 meters in height of ground floor plus 2 floors or stilt plus 3 floors will be sanctioned by a chief engineer (planning) and the applicants should submit the applications at headquarters.

All planning permissions for industrial buildings with unlimited area subject to maximum height of 18.30 meters and institutional buildings with unlimited area with maximum height of 18.30 meters will be given by Commissioner and chief engineer (planning) respectively.

"The procedure for doing away with submission of hard copies is being contemplated. Till such time, a separate counter in zonal offices and headquarters will function for receiving the documents for the applications submitted online," the circular said.

As per the circular, field inspection should be conducted and documents should be verified within 10 days. If any additional document required, the same will be intimated to applicants and 15 days time should be given to the applicants to submit the documents.

"While issuing approvals for all types of applications, altogether, the time period of 30 days shall not be violated without any valid reasons. The payment of fees shall either be online or through demand draft," the circular added.