Now, Uniform Building Rules Across Tamil Nadu

Construction of a building in India is carried out in adherence to a certain set of rules and regulations as specified under The National Building Code of India (NBC) which are formulated by the government. However, building regulations are sometimes become specific for each state or even a city. Uniformity of the building rules is essential to keep a check on developments in a haphazard manner. This is what the state government of Tamil Nadu is aiming at with the draft Tamil Nadu Combined Development Regulation and Building Rules, 2018. The new regulation, applicable for the entire state except the cantonment areas, focuses to eliminate the disparities in the building laws of Chennai and other parts of the state.

MakaaniQ shares the latest information.

Building laws merged in Tamil Nadu

Developments across the Chennai Metropolitan Area which is under the jurisdiction of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority takes place according to the Development Regulations (DR) whereas for other areas under the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), construction activities adhere to the Development Control Regulations (DCR).

The new draft regulation merges both the regulations and will apply to:

• The Greater Chennai Corporation, all Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Town Panchayats and Village Panchayats and to hill areas notified by Government in the entire State of Tamil Nadu from time to time.
• All development and building operations as defined in the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.

The draft building rules also says that all the existing rules, regulations, bye-laws, orders, that are in conflict and inconsistent with these rules shall stand modified to the extent of the provisions of these rules.

Highlights of the draft building rules

• Existing classification of ordinary, special and multi-storeyed structures has been modified to two categories. Structures higher than six storeys (stilt + five floors) with height above 17.25 metre have been classified as high-rises while those below these parameters will be identified as non-high-rise buildings.
• The maximum floor space index (FSI) has been set to 1.75 metre across the state. Currently, the FSI is lesser than that in Bengaluru which has FSI of 2.25 metre for a building measuring up to 15 metre in height.
• The FSI for industrial unit has been raised by o.5 per cent.
• All constructions will be executed under the supervision of the Registered Construction Engineer on Record (CER). This is not applicable for non-high-rise buildings with a height up to 9 metre. The CER must provide a certificate of structural safety of construction while submitting the progress report as per the prescribed guidelines at various construction stages including during completion.
• The construction of all high-rise buildings taller than 17.2 metre will be carried out under the quality inspection programme created and implemented under the Registered Quality Auditor on Record (QAR) who will furnish the certificate of quality control.
• Emphasis is made on protective measures for safeguarding structures from natural hazards like cyclonic wind damage, flooding and tsunamis. Also, buildings shall not open directly on national or state highways with heavy vehicular traffic.
• Rules have been drafted to comply with norms for rooftop solar photovoltaic installation and conservation of heritage buildings.
• The draft also includes special rules for affordable housing such as classification of units into three categories based on maximum plinth area and classification of projects into three categories based on plot extent.
• Rules to ensure a barrier-free environment in public buildings for the differently abled, elderly and children are also incorporated in the draft.

The state government has sought suggestions from people on the new draft regulation. One of rules of the new draft which comes as an advantage for builders is the revision of the front setback area which is the minimum distance which a structure must be set back from a street. The specification has been revised to 1.5 metre from the present 3 metre for non-high-rise-building on a road which is 9-metre-wide, and this will maximise the construction space for builders, as explained by the former national president of the Builders Association of India, R Radhakrishnan.

However, town planning experts worry as they feel the decision was taken without performing any proper impact studies thereby affecting the carrying capacity of an area as well as overburdening civic facilities causing overflowing sewers, water scarcity and environmental degradation.