Tamil Nadu set to notify DCRs

The notification will enable easier procedural practices for builders.

Tamil Nadu will very soon notify Development Control Rules (DCR) meant for towns and cities other than Chennai. Addressing the state conference of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Flat and Housing Promoters' Associations (FTPA), A S Jeevarathinam, Director of Town and Country Planning, Government of Tamil Nadu said that this was a long-pending demand of the industry, and the government is in the process of finalising the notification's contents.

The notification will enable easier and quicker procedural practices for builders to procure plan approvals and other documents. The announcement on DCR is expected to come up any time and it would be made available in English and Tamil. It would address key DCR issues like floor space index (FSI).

Though Tamil Nadu is ranked third on the list of the most urbanised states in the country, the growth of construction has not been up to the mark in districts other than Chennai, Chengalpattu and Coimbatore. Jeevarathinam claimed that even the existing rules and planning regulations of Tamil Nadu were considerably better than that of other states.

Though housing activity in districts like Tirunelveli, Madurai, Salem among others were not fast enough, land values were shooting up in these areas, he said.

He promised that his directorate was liberal in releasing approvals, but made a plea to promoters to come forward with project proposals which complied with the laws. He also promised that necessary steps would be taken to expedite the issuance of approvals since he was keen on avoiding delays in the process.

Addressing the conference, P Manishankar, state president of the FTPA, demanded that the government enforce FSI level to 3.0 or at least 2.5 in Tamil Nadu, analogous to the index being maintained in other states.

The federation also demanded the total abolition of vacant site tax in all corporations and municipalities of Tamil Nadu.

Similarly, the road width of 30 feet at present for residential areas, has been reduced to 23 feet in view of largescale urba nisation and commercial activity taking place across the state.