CMDA Puts MBS on Fast Track in Chennai

June 28, 2009	(Be the first to rate this story!)  Loading ...
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Hot on the heels of hastening the planning permission mechanism for small buildings, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has initiated steps to put the approval process for multistoreyed buildings (MSB) also on fast track in the Chennai metropolitan area. Only recently, the regulatory agency had done away with the necessity to obtain seven out of 13 no-objection certificates (NOCs) from various government agencies, hitherto mandatory for issuing the plan approval for MSBs. It was CMDA that used to communicate with agencies like the Fire and Rescue Services and the Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board for obtaining NOCs after the builder had submitted the application and detailed plan for clearance. Going one step forward, CMDA has now permitted builders themselves to apply for NOCs and submit them along with the detailed plan for the agency’s approval.

“Our objective is to speed up the approval procedure in every way possible. It takes a lot of time for our staff to communicate with other departments. On many occasions, delay in getting NOCs used to hold up issue of planning permission,” said a CMDA official. By allowing builders to apply and obtain NOCs, the official said, much of the delay could be avoided. “We have also introduced an 18-point checklist for builders, while applying for permission for MSBs. Hereafter, applications will get scrutinised in totality and deficiencies will be informed to the promoter through a single communication. Those who rectify deficiencies will be issued planning permission within 75 days. In case the builder fails to set right the inadequacies, the applications will be rejected and the promoter will have to start the whole process again. Earlier, our officials used to point out deficiencies piecemeal and files were kept pending for even two years,” said the official.

The regulatory agency has also decided to accept land for road widening as well as open space reserve (OSR land is used for setting up parks) directly from the builder. CMDA will, in turn, hand them over to local bodies. Until now, the builder had to hand them over to the local body (corporation or panchayat) through a registered deed and it used to be a time-consuming exercise. Yet another significant development is the willingness shown by CMDA to delink scrutiny of title documents from building plan. It means the promoter can submit property documents to CMDA for scrutiny as and when land is purchased and can ascertain the scope for development on the plot much before the building plan is readied.

“Many things have changed in CMDA in recent times and a greater part of that change has been for the good of developers and builders. It is good news that CMDA is aggressively working toward faster approval,” said Sandeep Mehta, MD Jain Housing. “In a turbulent market, our members will pass on every benefit accrued from faster approvals of projects to customers,” said Prakash Challa, president of the Tamil Nadu chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India.

News Published Under:   Chennai |

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