Begging for NoCs to end as TN plans joint inspection to give planning approvals

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NoC) for planning approvals for residential and commercial projects from various agencies will now be available within seven days of submitting the application as the state government is set to introduce single joint inspection by officials of various departments.

It is learnt from official sources that planning permission norms have been simplified further as state government has proposed to include joint inspection of site by officials belonging to more than eight departments.

This was decided during a meeting chaired by Home secretary Niranjan Mardi recently. The nominated members for the joint inspection will have to inspect the site within seven days from the receipt of application.

The single joint inspection is being introduced for the purpose of issuing planning permission, building permit and completion certificate and NoCs required from departments for special buildings, group developments, industrial buildings and multi-storied buildings apart from industrial building and reclassification of land use zoning.

Official sources said that Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and Directorate of Town and Country Planning will be the main coordinating agency to organise the joint inspection. Deputy planners in CMDA and member secretary, local planning authority, regional deputy directors (RDD) in area covered under the jurisdiction of Commissioner of Town and Country Planning will be the nodal officers to coordinate joint inspection.

Officials from CMDA, DTCP, urban local bodies, fire service, traffic police, public works department, water resources department, state electricity board, Metro Water, state pollution control board, Metro rail and Tahsildar (Road) will be part of the joint inspection.

Sources said once the application for planning permission or building permit or completion certificate is received in CMDA, DTCP or local planning authority, the site has to be visited within seven days from the reciept of application.

“If the nominated official could not join the joint inspection team an alternate official has to be sent with due authorisation or the respresentative from the department has to visit the site within 48 hours of main inspection and offer their remarks,” sources said.

If there is no remark or representation within three days of joint inspection, the project will be considered as approved.

Meanwhile, the meeting also decided that the single joint inspection team has to prepare the inspection report on same day. The applicant has to be informed about the date of joint inspection and he may be present if he chooses, the sources said.

The meeting also decided that electricity, water and sewerage connection will be given only after obtaining completion certificate.

S Rama Prabhu, secretary of Builders Association of India, has welcomed the move to include joint inspection. However, he said the success will depend on the coordination between the departments. “There is no need to involve so many departments and the process could be done online as is being done in Telengana,” said Prabhu.

Factfile:

1. The single Joint inspection will be carried out within 7 days from the date of receipt of application for building permit, completion certificate or planning permission.

2. Nearly eight state departments are involved in the joint inspection.

3. The inspection report has to be prepared on the same day of inspection

4. If there is no remark or representation within three days of joint inspection, the project will be considered as approved.

5. If the nominated official could not join the joint inspection team an alternate official has to be sent with due authorisation.