Issue plan approvals for old plots: Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority

CHENNAI: Clarifying the local bodies that fall under Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) on anomalies in issuing plan approvals, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had directed the local bodies to issue building plan approvals for plots bought before 1990.

According to the official sources, the local bodies in CMA had stopped issuing building plan approvals for constructing on unapproved plots after the state government announced an unapproved plot regularisation scheme. “Following the government order, the local bodies stopped processing applications,” the source added. However, the CMDA member-secretary, in an official communication said that no restriction on issuing planning permissions for plots registered before December 31, 1989, had been imposed. “Therefore, the local bodies are advised to process applications in adhering the conditions stipulated,” the circular stated.

Meanwhile, the real estate industry has welcomed the move and said more projects would be taken up. “Due to miscommunication, constructions on old plots have been affected. Now the circular will help to rectify the problem to some extent,” S. Rama Prabhu, Honorary Secretary, Builders’ Association of India, said. It is also learnt that the regularisation scheme, even after the extension, remains in limbo. “The officials show interest only to regularise layouts instead of individual plots. This is due to the income received from OSR charges. Individual plots do not have to pay charges,” Rama Prabhu added.