TN Govt Eases Building Norms: Self-Certification Now Allowed for Stilt + 2 Floor Residences

Streamlining a long-standing policy that often delays construction, the Tamil Nadu government has rolled back rules here that forced home-builders to go through long approvals for building residential instances with stilt plus two floors. This means that homeowners can obtain building permits without awaiting formal approvals, expediting the construction process.

The initiative builds on the state’s existing single-window online approval system for ground plus one-floor houses. Now, model building plans, including elevation and sectional drawings, will be provided for fixed plot sizes to assist applicants. These will cover plots up to 2,500 sq. ft and built-up areas of 3,500 sq. ft, primarily targeting low- and middle-income families.

“This is a welcome move. But the built-up area limit should be increased to 10,000 sq ft, and plot size raised proportionately,” said S Sridharan, Vice-President of CREDAI National (South). “It would significantly speed up the process for homebuyers.”

The self-certification facility is also being extended to cottage industries and green factories, provided their built-up area does not exceed 500 sq m. Over the past 10 months, 71,128 self-certification files have already been cleared online, according to S Ramprabhu, Chairman of the DTCP Committee, Builders Association of India. Registered town planning professionals will now be permitted to work across corporations and municipalities.

In a boost to rural development, the minimum road width required for construction in village panchayats has been reduced from seven to six metres. Side setback norms have also been relaxed for row and group housing developments.

Additionally, individual plots in unapproved layouts registered before October 20, 2016, can now be regularized without a deadline offering long-awaited relief to thousands of plot owners.

Other key changes include conditional approvals for school buildings near water bodies, provided safety norms are met, and permissions for schools along highways, subject to the development of a dedicated service road.

To enhance transparency and efficiency, the government is launching a mobile app under the single-window system to support applicants and streamline processes. A new comprehensive planning unit will also be set up to oversee these reforms.

Separately, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board has announced land development projects in Tiruvallur and Salem, alongside a ₹65 crore investment in rental housing for government officials in Thalavadi, Erode.