Approval for uniform development control norms

The government has approved uniform development control regulations (DCR) on special buildings, multi-storeyed buildings, group developments, layouts and sub-divisions for nine municipal corporations and suburban areas in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.

The nine corporations for which the DCRs will become applicable are Tiruchi, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur and Vellore. Besides, the local planning authorities in Gummidipoondi, Chengalpattu and Mamallapuram have been covered.

Order issued

An order to this effect was issued by the State Housing and Urban Development department a couple of days ago, according to an official.

Till now, the municipal corporations were adopting separate regulations. The uniform regulations would avoid different technical interpretations at various levels and be of great help to the common public and officials to ensure expeditious issuance of planning permission.

As per the new DCRs, the height of multi-storeyed buildings would be co-related with the width of the abutting roads. In respect of roads with a width of 18 metres and above, the height of any such building can be up to 60 metres. In the case of 30.5-foot wide roads, the building's height can be more than 60 metres.

Where developments are proposed on a site exceeding 10,000 sq. m., 10 per cent of the site shall be earmarked for providing houses for lower income groups and economically weaker sections of society.

The government has also constituted an empowered committee, headed by Housing and Urban Development Secretary, to examine cases that cause hardship to the public and relax the planning parameters. The committee includes Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department Secretary and Member-Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority with the Director of Town and Country Planning as convener.

The move to formulate the uniform DCRs follows a decision taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary K.S. Sripathi three months ago. At the meeting, he had observed that rules could not be different for a building in an urban area and those falling within the places abutting the urban area. The DCRs framed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority should appropriately be incorporated, he had advised officials.

Explaining the rationale behind adapting the CMDA's DCRs for other municipal corporations, an official release stated that the provisions of the First Master Plan were already ordered to be followed in Tiruchi, Madurai, Tiruneveli, Salem and Coimbatore.

The applicability of the uniform regulations to Vellore was keenly felt as it would permit institutions such as the Christian Medical College to expand its infrastructure. Tirupur also stood on a similar footing, the release added.