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Building Approval Process In Corporation Of Chennai

  • Corporation of Chennai is issuing planning permits under the delegation of powers issued by the Member-Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to the Regional Joint/Deputy Commissioner for all the ordinary residential buildings / commercial buildings up to 9.0 m in height [Ground floor + First floor (or) Stilt + 2 floors – dwelling unit not exceeding 6 kitchen units and commercial area not exceeding 300 sq.m floor area], Industrial building & Institutional building up to a height of 15.25 meters.
  • Corporation of Chennai is issuing building permit to all type of buildings including the Special Buildings, Multi-Storied Buildings and group development for which the planning permissions are issued by C.M.D.A.
  • The application in this regard are to be submitted in the respective Regional Offices in Corporation of Chennai along with self-attested documents. Submission of Notarized documents is not essential
  • The applicant shall not enclose any certificate with regard to tax due along with their application. The details of the tax due are verified in the online provision.
  • The structural design details to be enclosed are to be certified by the structural engineer. Based on the design furnished by the structural engineer the approval is issued. If it is found that the design details and execution of work is not as per the standards during construction or after construction the structural engineer and the applicant shall be held responsible and the registration of the structural engineer shall be summarily rejected.
  • To make the processing of the planning permission applications easier the whole system of processing are computerized. Each and every stage of the processing of the applications are being entered in computer. The applicants / land owners can view the various stages of their application in the website of Corporation of Chennai by referring the application number allotted to them while submission.
  • Moreover SMS alerts / e-mails are sent to the applicants / land owner at each stages. The applicant can act immediately if a letter is sent requesting to furnish additional documents / particulars by seeing the SMS alerts / e-mails. Further if it is sanctioned, the necessary fees to be paid are made known, so that the applicant can make the payment immediately and obtain the permits.
  • The plans are submitted online for checking for Development Regulations and Building Rules and any correction required are informed through online. The applicants shall make the necessary corrections and submit the plan for scrutiny. The Auto-DCR software is used for scrutiny of the plan submitted online.
  • A Checklist is used for verification of the documents while submission of the planning permission application.
  • The site for which the planning permission applications / building applications are submitted by the applicant will be inspected by officials of Corporation of Chennai within 3 days from the date of submission of the planning permission application / building application.
  • The officials for the inspection of the building is randomly assigned by the system and the date of inspection will be intimated to the building owner / applicant immediately on allocation of inspecting officials through SMS alters / E-mail.
  • The application are scrutinized and demand advice are issued within 30 days from the date of submission of the planning permission application building application.
  • If any documents / clarification are further required, it is intimated once and applicant is requested to furnish the same. On receipt of the requested documents / clarifications the application is further processed and approval issued.
  • If the requested documents / clarification are not furnished by the applicant, the application is retuned unapproved, stating the reason for the same.
  • On receipt of the payment for the demand advice the planning permit / building permit are issued within 7 days from the date of receipt of the payment. The SMS alerts/ email are sent to the applicant once the permit are ready.
  • The online submission of the applications are also available in which the applicant shall login and submit the planning permission application.
  • Provision has also been made for online payment for the fees required to issue the permits.

Building Plan Approval Procedure

The Procedure for online approval of plan are as follows :

The online submission of plan is only for the planning permission for construction of ordinary buildings up to 9.0 m height (stilt + 2 floors (or) Ground +First floor), incremental second floor over the first floor after three years from sanction of first floor, Industrial buildings and Institutional buildings up to 15.25 meters height.
** The online submission of plan is not required for Demolition Application, Sub-division / layout of plots The Building Applications for which planning permission are issued by CMDA the Online submission of plan is not required.
** The Auto DCR software is used in the process for online approval of plans.
** The detailed procedure for Auto DCR is displayed in the pre DCR help manual in the Building Plan Submission portal of Greater Chennai Corporation Website.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PROPERTY APPROVALS – DTCP & CMDA


Property approvals from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and Chennai Municipal Development Authority (CMDA) are important and sacrosanct permissions the builder has to obtain before he can commence construction. Any anomalies in this and you can be sure that the project is going to be fraught with legal issues. Read up below and you will understand all you need to know about these approvals.

Procedure for CMDA approval

The CMDA is a designated body appointed for the sole purpose of regulating real estate developments in the Chennai Metropolitan Area through issue of Planning Permission (PP) under section 49 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971.
The CMDA has entrusted powers to the local bodies within the Chennai Metropolitan Area to issue planning permission for ordinary buildings and buildings under normally permissible categories of industrial, residential, institutional and commercial use zones, sub-divisions and small layouts.
IT/ ITES, special and multi-storey buildings require direct permissions issued by CMDA.
The authority has set up guidelines for the execution of Planning Permission (PP) and the process is much easier now due to the streamlined procedure. It is prescribed that before a builder may commence development, it is mandatory for him to obtain PP from the CMDA. The permission is valid for
three years from the date of issue.
Permissions are granted to only those who conform to the land use for which the site has been designated under the Master Plan or the Detailed Development Plan. Once the builder has obtained approvals he must complete the project within the time prescribed in the planning permit. CMDA approvals are withheld if the CMDA finds some anomalies related to the land or deficiencies in statutory approvals.
Developers carrying out constructions without proper permissions are taken to task with the construction deemed as unauthorized. The end result of such a scenario being that either the constructions will be demolished, or there will be a stay order or it may even be sealed under the Act.

Procedure for DTCP approval

The Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) is responsible for carrying out developmental activities and to exercise control on the town planning for Chennai, its suburb and all the districts that come under its jurisdiction. The DTCP or CMDA approvals come with the clear explicit advantage of owning land that must be utilised for the purposes as defined by the planning authority; in other words it is the ease of getting approval from DTCP or CMDA for the right to build lawfully and legally. Once the builder has an approval for the said land, the building cannot be demolished, unless there are some unapproved layouts later on. A DTCP approved layout will follow the guidelines with regard to the road width or public spaces.
There are no specific size requirements of the property to get DTCP approval, however the land should be within the limit of DTCP and must fulfil the guidelines set by them.
As a buyer, you can ask for the approved CMDA or DTCP number. Typically, the builder will have it on his approved layout drawing. You can request and preserve a copy for yourself. Consult a lawyer if you have any doubts concerning the approvals from the builder. It is best advised to buyers that they must wait for the CMDA approval before deciding and purchasing a house.

Is It Possible To Get CMDA Approval For Patta Land?

It is a dream of most of the Indians to own land. They also desire to buy a new house in their preferred region. However, a land or home buying process is much intricate. Lots of buyers face issues and cannot accomplish the process smoothly. Every state has also set their own rules for this transaction process. Nowadays, you can find several instances of unapproved developments on the plots.

The absence of the right infrastructure and amenities has made them unapproved or unauthorized. Thus, these issues cause challenges to those, who are engaged in the real estate transaction. While the concerned authority has not approved any apartment, house or land, it may not be safe for you to purchase that property. Thus, the land’s undivided share will not be divided, based on the rules. There is also no chance of getting legal protection or security when you have acquired anything from a Government agency.
In most of the instances, the unapproved pieces of lands are a combination of Porampoke and Patta lands, and they may cause complication. In a few cases, the buyer buys those lands and start the process of construction. Later, they are forced to get approval from the right authority. While you are in Tamil Nadu, you have to get the approval from two authorities- DTCP and CMDA. Now, the question is- What is DTCP approval?

DTCP Approval – Why to Get It?

Directorate of Town and Country Planning is one of the special departments, looking after the developmental works in rural and urban regions. Master Plan is essential for the development in these regions. The layout approval helps in achieving the development process.
The developments have to be regulated with the building regulations and zoning rules. DTCP plays two major roles- One is related to rural, and another is for the urban front. This depart Chennai government and assists in the coordination of different departments. DTCP gives a genuine approval for the particular layout.

CMDA and DTCP- Know the Application Process

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is another authority to give approval for a property. You may have a question on how to get CMDA approval for Patta land. To have this approval, you must prepare various documents for submitting them to the authority. As one of the applicants, you have to submit.

  • The self-attested copies of lease deed or sale deed documents
  • Patta copies in the name of the owner
  • EC for 13 years
  • Certificate of legal possession
  • NOC from Rescue Service Depart.
    Building plan Surveyor or CMDA official will inspect your site. You can apply for CMDA approval for patta land online and take the help of knowledgeable CMDA approval consultant in Chennai from reliable companies.

Now, you have to know the way to get DTCP Approval for patta land. For this approval, you must arrange all the relevant documents- One photocopy of the land document, registration copy, Patta document, EC and the paid challan copy. Or you can hire the professional dtcp approval consultant in Chennai to guide you in the right direction.

Patta Land and DTCP Approval

You know the fact that patta is a title, and you can get approval of DTCP approval for plots or layout. This authority will make sure that the developer, starting the development process, has received the order from the landowner. After the development and approval of layout by DTCP, this developer will get the opportunity of registering the plot.

CMDA Approval and Your Patta Land

Patta is just for your land. However, CMDA approval is essential for the flat or house to be bought. CMDA must also approve the land. Do not forget to have the approval of your neighborhood. The land should not be unapproved. In a few cases, you may find that although the apartment has got the approval, the land has caused issues.

SYED SMART DEAL – Get Patta Online

Patta (பட்டா) is one of the government-issued legal documents, in favor of the present landowner. It is also applicable for the lands, where the buildings and houses are constructed. Getting patta to your property will take quite long-time. But, nowadays the Government makes it easy to get patta online and save people’s valuable time.
Some Details that a Patta Contains about the Property.

  • Taxation details
  • Land Area (Nila Alavai)
  • Land Type (Whether it is Punjai Nilam or Nanjai Nilam)
  • Survey Number
  • Owner(s) name
  • Serial number of the patta issued
  • Details about:
    -Village
    -Taluk
    -District

Getting your patta registered for a property or changing its ownership via name transfer is important since it is a verified revenue record. A patta chitta (பட்டா சிட்டா) therefore becomes a legal document with which one can prove his/her ownership (Nila Urimai Patta).
As for the relevant authority in Chennai or the rest of Tamilnadu Government, a pattachitta is usually kept in the tahsildar’s office in a record register known as ‘chitta’.
Thanks to technology, online patta registration, online patta transfer and online patta name change facility is now available on any computer. As we mentioned earlier, it is a must have document for all types of property owners. Different types of properties have different patta types.
Online patta registration is done for the following types of land.

  • Non-Natham land
  • Non-Municipal land
  • Non-Corporation land

Benefits of Patta Registration

Here we present you with some more benefits of having a registered patta for your real estate property.

  • Useful in getting compensation in case the government decides to ascertain your land/plot.
  • Valid as a legal document in the court of law.
  • It is also useful in case you wish to have a legal joint patta ownership of a property with a family member or a business partner.

Patta Registration Process Online

In case you are interested in proceeding to register a patta for your property online, follow these steps as a procedure to submit your application and get patta chitta for your property.
Step 1: Go to this website of the Tamil Nadu state government. Choose a language that you comfortable with. (English or Tamil)
Step 2: From the drop-down menu, choose the option that says ‘View Patta & FMB/Chitta/TSLR Extract’
Step 3: After doing this, choose the location of your property.
Step 4: Next up, you will have to fill up all the required details related to the property that you wish to get the patta for.
If you face any difficulties in your online patta registration, our consultants are always there to help you in each and every steps mentioned above.
Here are Some Important Links for All the Owners of Property

Purpose Link
Checking Status https://edistricts.tn.gov.in/revenue_report/status.html
Checking Validity https://eservices.tn.gov.in/eservicesnew/land/verify_chitta.html?lan=en

Additional Types of Registers

We did mention chitta before and explained about its purpose. Here are a couple more as an additional information.

  • Adangal
    The main feature of this one is that it contains all the information about survey data and numbers for an entire village. Some more details that are registered are:
    1.Survey number with the respective owner’s details
    2.Land usage type
    3.Patta Number
  • Padhivedu
    Additional information which is stored in a Padhivedu is:
    1.Clause Number
    2.Land Type

Patta Name Transfer Online (Online Patta Maruthal Vinnappam)

If you are thinking about buying a property in Chennai, transfer of patta is something that you must have a knowledge about. After all, it is the only way in which you can legally claim ownership on whatever real estate that you happen to buy.
Some cases in which you should consider patta transfer are:

  • When an elderly family member dies without leaving a will for the possible heirs.
  • In case the elderly member does leave a will before his/her death, patta transfer can be done with the condition of mutual consent amongst the heirs.
  • Any form of purchasing or selling of property in the form of land, house, building etc.
  • Types of Patta Transfer That You Can Do
  • Individual transfer
  • Joint patta (kootu patta) transfer
  • Joint patta (kootu patta) to individual patta transfer

Documents for Getting a Patta Name Transfer Online (Patta Maruthal Vinnappam Online)

Here is a list of documents that are necessary for a successful sub division patta transfer.
1. Application for patta transfer. (Duly signed by both the parties)
2. Photostat copy of your Aadhar card
3. Copy of the bank challan used to pay the survey number fee.
4. Certification of Encumbrance (Villangam)
5. Proof of possession such as:
-Receipt of property tax
-Electricity Bill
6. An attested photostat copy of the sale deed. (Along with original for authentication by the relevant government official)
You can always check your sub division patta status online here.

How To Apply For A Patta Transfer?

After a period of fifteen days post registration of the property purchase, you can write an application to the local taluk official requesting him to do the needful for the whole process. And also attach the relevant documents. (that we mentioned before)
As for how to send your application, you make use of the registered post method. If all your details are correct and documentation is perfect, you can expect the transfer to get completed within just fifteen days.
In case you don’t get a response after a period of one month, do file an RTI request under the Right To Information Act to enquire about your application’s name change status.

Need an Experienced Agent To Help You?

Are you facing any kind of difficulty while registering or transferring a patta in Chennai Corporation? Our patta consultant in Chennai is here to help you.

  • Transfer of Property Act
  • Succession
  • Orders from state
    Most of our clients do not know the process of how to applying for it. However, our Patta consultant in Chennai knows about the right process to make your application successful. For the comprehensive Patta consultancy services Chennai, Tamil Nadu, we take all the steps for you.
  • Contact the local authority for the transfer of Patta
  • Submit the documents and copies to the relevant authorities
  • Change the Patta name to a different owner
    When you are the owner of a property, we take your details and enclose them with your documents. We make sure that all those documents are relevant to the concerned plot. However, in the case of legal disputes, the applicant may need to visit the office of Tahsildar. Thus, hire our patta consultants and apply for Patta.
    Patta transfer may take time. However, with our skills and knowledge, we make the process easier for you. Our team will check out whether you have to submit additional documents for transfer. While your transfer application is not feasible, we will tell you the reasons behind it. The Tahsildar can accept or reject the application after reviewing your property and all the related documents. However, to avoid the rejection, you can rely on our Patta name transfer agent in Chennai.

Why Choose Our Patta Brokers?

  • We make out all your needs and then prepare your applications, based on the requirements and guidelines of the particular authority.
  • Our team always gets the updated information on the Patta.
  • We make the best effort for addressing the issues and questions raised by any authority.
  • We deal with all the document and related to Patta.
    Thus, for Patta name transfer, Our property consultant in Chennai have set up the best platform for you. Don’t hesitate to ask any of your queries and we will do our best to resolve any issues that you are facing.

Most of us do not know the difference of DTCP and CMDA approval. Thus, let us tell you something about CMDA vs. DTCP. CMDA has particular jurisdiction limits, and it has the rights to give approval for the plots within this jurisdiction. Similarly, DTCP has also set its jurisdictional limit, and it sends the approval for the layout of the concerned plots. Thus, you have to know whether you must send the application for DTCP and CMDA.

EVERYTHING ABOUT CHENNAI METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY- CMDA

CMDA stands for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. The responsibility of CMDA is to regulate physical developments within Chennai metropolitan area. Formerly known as the Madras Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA), CMDA approval means that the land is authorized by CMDA and can be used for real estate transactions and the owner can modify it according to the requirements.

Function of CMDA:
  • Preparing master plans or detailed development plans or new town development plans for the CMPA.
  • Carrying out a survey of the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area (CMPA) and preparing reports on the surveys carried out.
  • CMDA authority is to prepare maps that supports in the planning of the city
  • The agency also keeps a check on unauthorized constructions in the city.
CMDA Approved is important:

CMDA approved plot considering that it is legal. Though CMDA Approval process is a bit stringent compared to DTCP, the value of CMDA Plots seem to have a high appreciation in the future as it comes under the city limits.

Power of a CMDA approved plot

An approved plot is one that is verified by the CMDA. Basically, it means that the plot can be used for further real estate transactions and the owner can modify/make changes to the plot according to his/her wishes.

CMDA Approved lands in Chennai:

Buying lands or plots in Chennai, must ensure that it is approved by the CMDA. This will not only make the entire process of getting all the building approvals much easier but also ensure you do not hit any roadblock, while constructing your future home.

Benefits of CMDA Approved Plots:
  • The major benefit of DTCP or CMDA approval is the entitlement for getting building approval.
  • This can also be an assurance that the building cannot be demolished without any proper procedure laid out for the approved layouts.
  • Unapproved plots are seized by the CMDA & sold off in auctions later. This means, if you plan to buy plots in Chennai, ensure it is CMDA approved for further development.

It is best advised to buyers that they must wait for the CMDA approval before deciding and purchasing a house, land or plots in Chennai.

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