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Urban Planning

Building plan approval process decentralised

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The Hindu        09.09.2016

Building plan approval process decentralised

Aimed at reducing pendency at Corporation’s main office

Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri has informed that applicants seeking approval for building plan can submit them with the respective zones.

On an average, the Corporation received 75 to 100 building plans every month seeking approval. The applicants were submitting them at the main office. As there were delays in processing them due to a number of procedures, the Commissioner, after holding meeting with his officials, decided to decentralise the process.

It was decided at the meeting that building plans seeking approval for 1,000 square feet of commercial undertakings and 1,500 square feet of residential property can submit their applications at the respective zones. Those who want to construct above these measurements should submit their application for approval at the main office at Anna Maaligai.

An official at the Town and Country Planning wing said applicants who built dwellings within 1,500 square feet had to get approvals for getting home loans from financial institutions. In a bid to facilitate such applicants, the Corporation had taken the decision and entrusted the task of giving approval by the respective Assistant Commissioners of the zones. By delegating the responsibility, the pendency could be reduced and delay avoided.

However, major buildings, which sought approval for larger carpet area, had to file applications with the main office for ratification, he said.

 

New online layout approval system in Chennai by August

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The Hindu        14.07.2016  

New online layout approval system in Chennai by August

Residents, businesses, industries and start-ups that are applying for layout plan approvals and permits for building construction in Chennai are soon likely to find the process much easier.

Greater Chennai Corporation plans to speed up the process by introducing a new online layout approval system for urban development by August.

An official of the Corporation said a trial run of the new system had begun in the northern areas of the city covering Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Manali, Madhavaram and Tiruvottiyur.

The Union Urban Development Ministry has directed the civic body to take initiatives for online layout approval as the State ranks low in implementing the 98-point action plan for business reforms.

A large chunk of investments in Tamil Nadu are concentrated in Chennai.

But, the process of obtaining layout plan approval and building approval continues to be challenging.

The Corporation had launched an online system in 2009 but it had glitches, was not fully automated and the whole process took between three to six months.

At least 10,000 buildings are developed in the city every year. Many of them remain unapproved because of red tape and issues relating to the existing system.

The old online system was also not integrated with the payment gateway.

“Any NRI who wants to start a business can get building approval or layout plan approval online without visiting the Corporation office through the new online system. The new system covers the process end-to-end,” said an official of the Corporation. Officials at the regional level are set to be instructed on how to expedite the process after August.

After online submission of the application through Chennai Corporation citizen portal, the system will generate an acknowledgement and an automated inspection schedule. The applicant will receive SMS and email notifications. After inspection, the payment of fee and printing of approved plan copy can be made through the citizen portal.

At a recent meeting, senior officials focussed on integrating a single window system with agencies such as the Airport Authority of India and the CMDA. Construction of many multi-storied buildings have been delayed owing to restrictions relating to air traffic.

The new initiatives are expected to improve conditions in cities with airports that attract business. India was ranked 142 in Doing Business Report, 2015, released by the World Bank. The rank has improved in ‘dealing with construction permit’ and ‘getting electricity’ indicators as some cities such as Chennai have already initiated measures. However, many delegations visiting the city have stressed the need for quick approval.

The Corporation had launched an online system in 2009 but it had glitches, was not fully automated and the whole process took between three to six months

 

Two decades on, PSUs yet to receive property documents from CMDA

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The Hindu      11.07.2016  

Two decades on, PSUs yet to receive property documents from CMDA

While the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority — the city’s principal planning agency pulls up people and developers when they step out of the line — it has also been delaying the issuance of a vital document to three public sector undertakings for many years now.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Housing and Urban Development Corporation and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation are among other Central and State government establishments that have offices at Thalamuthu Natarajan building on Gandhi Irwin Road in Egmore. The high-rise building also houses CMDA’s offices of its member secretary and planners in addition to government banks’ corporate offices.

The three PSUs have been writing repeatedly to the CMDA, with letters addressed to its member secretary about the prolonged delay in getting sale deed documents. A letter from HPCL to the bureaucrat in January this year said they had purchased two premises on fourth floor east and west wings and another on the third floor west wing in tower 1 of the building in 1989. However, 27 years later, they were yet to receive the sale deed.

“We have been taking it up regularly with the CMDA officers concerned. However, the execution of the sale deedhas not materialised so far,” the letter said. Similarly, a letter from ONGC appealed to the CMDA to expedite the process of issuing the sale deed since their statutory and government auditors were continuously monitoring and pressing for the document.

Incomplete paper work?

While officials at neither the CMDA nor the Department of Housing and Urban Development responded to queries about the episode, sources said the handing over of the sale deed document formed the culmination of a property transaction and that it was not done in this case due to certain incomplete paper work. As it involved two government agencies, the issue of sale deed was not being seriously followed up.

Sources said that it would send a wrong message about the functioning of agencies involved in housing and urban planning. Sources in the city planning agency also said many allottees — including individual owners who were selected to get housing plots too did not receive the same.

In the absence of the sale deed, purchasers could not even apply for ‘patta’ – the land ownership document.

In the absence of the sale deed, purchasers could not even apply for ‘patta’ – the land ownership document

 


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