The Hindu 22.06.2017
Local bodies to have more say in plan approvals
would have a greater say in granting planning permission and building
approvals in their jurisdictions.
Making a slew of announcements
in the House, Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister
S.P. Velumani said, presently, local bodies were empowered to grant
planning permission to residential buildings with a constructed area of
up to 4,000 sq.ft only.
Suitable laws
This
restriction would be eased and suitable legislation brought in to enable
local bodies to grant approvals for the construction of buildings
beyond 4,000 sq ft. Likewise, civic bodies would be vested with the
authority to grant planning permission to commercial buildings beyond
the prevailing stipulation of up to 2,000 sq.ft.
Time frame
The
local bodies will be mandated to grant the planning permission within a
specified time frame, failing which the permission shall be deemed to
have been granted.
The government has also proposed to make it mandatory to apply for plan permissions only through the online mode.
If
the local bodies do not decide on the building layout applications made
online within 30 days, the land owners can consider that the
applications have been approved and can commence construction work.
Relevant Acts would be amended to facilitate these decisions.