Chennai: The State government has fixed a timeline for processing applications in urban local bodies across Tamil Nadu, to reduce delays in granting planning permission and building approvals.
Director of Municipal Administration P Madhusudhan Reddy issued instructions to Commissioners of Corporations and Municipalities detailing the time-bound procedure for granting approvals.
According to the circular, all fees related to planning permission and building approval applications must be accepted only through online payment modules.
The order also stated that applicants, architects, structural engineers or any third parties should not be required to appear in person for resolving queries or submitting clarifications.
Warning officials against procedural lapses, Madhusudhan Reddy said any administrative negligence, manual intervention in online approvals or failure to maintain transparency protocols would invite disciplinary action.
As per the timeline fixed by the department, Assistant Engineers in planning sections have been directed to conduct site inspections within five working days from the date of receipt of online applications.
Following inspection, the report must be uploaded to the portal within two days.
The Director further stated that after completion of verification and scrutiny procedures, planning permission should be issued within 24 days from the date of receipt of the application.
For building permits, the department has fixed a seven-day timeline from the date of application submission.
The circular also clarified that if ownership documents had already been verified by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) or the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), a fresh field inspection would not be necessary.
However, the order warned that authorities could stop construction work at any stage if information submitted to the CMDA or the DTCP was later found to be false.