For the capital region, the CMDA is finalising the Third Master Plan (2027–2046) covering 1,189 square kilometers alongside a comprehensive planning framework for the expanded 5,904 square kilometer territory. (Representational image: Social media)

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Department has rolled out a series of policy reforms encompassing digital property sales, artificial intelligence–backed single-window approvals, cooperative sector revitalisation, and extensive urban development master plans across the state. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Minister for Housing and Urban Development B. Rajkumar outlined targeted initiatives designed to expedite public services, enhance urban infrastructure, and modernise administrative frameworks.

In a major digital push, Mr Rajkumar announced that the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) launched an online sales portal on August 12, 2026, offering 7,659 units—including plots, flats, and commercial sites—on a first-come, first-served basis. The initiative has already drawn 6,082 applications, resulting in the sale of 660 homes. To protect public land banks from encroachments, the TNHB is carrying out widespread geo-tagging, computerisation, and boundary fencing operations.

Simultaneously, the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) is formulating GIS-based regional plans for 10 regions, with initial draft reports for Madurai, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Vellore, and Villupuram slated for completion by April 2027. GIS-based master plans are also progressing across 130 towns, with comprehensive plans for nine major urban centers—including Tiruppur, Salem, Erode, and Nagercoil—due by April 2027.

To foster ease of doing business and eliminate bureaucratic delays, the minister highlighted that the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is developing "SPEED," an AI-powered integrated clearance system linking DTCP, CMDA, and local bodies into a unified online platform. Clearance timelines for multi-storey building applications under CMDA have been curtailed from over three months to approximately 45 days.

Easing regulatory burdens for small businesses, self-certification approvals for green and white category industrial buildings—up to 10 meters in height on plots up to 7,500 sq. ft.—have yielded 322 approvals since launching on June 22, 2026. The government has also extended application deadlines for regularising unapproved educational buildings constructed before 2011 to July 5, 2027, and layout regularization to June 30, 2027.

Addressing affordable shelter, Mr Rajkumar noted that the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) is completing 27,407 residential units this financial year as part of a mission to transform urban centers into slum-free zones before 2031, complementing housing with youth skill training and sports development programmes.

For the capital region, the CMDA is finalising the Third Master Plan (2027–2046) covering 1,189 square kilometers alongside a comprehensive planning framework for the expanded 5,904 square kilometer territory. The minister also detailed the revitalization of primary cooperative housing societies, sanctioning ₹92.80 crore across 285 societies within two months, while the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is preparing model street transformations along the OMR and Pallavaram–Thoraipakkam corridors and expanding transit features on the 'Chennai One' ticketing app.

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