TN govt extends regularisation of unapproved plots indefinitely

CHENNAI: The State Housing and Urban Development department has issued a GO to extend the regularisation of plots in unapproved layouts indefinitely and mandated owners to apply for regularisation online.

As per a GO issued a few days ago, plot owners of unapproved layout, who bought their plots before October 20, 2016, can apply for regularisation. However, they should produce sale deeds and other related documents proving that the plots were bought before the cut-off date.

The order is following an announcement made in the Assembly during the 2025-26 budget session. First announced in May 2017, the department fixed November 3, 2017, as the last date for applying. But, several orders were issued over the years to extend the amnesty scheme up to June 30, 2026. With the latest order, plot owners can make applications beyond June 30, 2026.

To implement the scheme, the department issued TN Regularisation of Unapproved Layouts and Plots Rules, 2017, based on which the plots are being regularised. As per the rules, regularisation charges in village panchayat and town panchayat are Rs 30/sq m. For municipal area (grade 1, grade 2, special and selection grade) and Corporation area, it’s Rs 60/sq m and Rs 100/sq m respectively.

The department has already relaxed Open Space Reservation (OSR) norms for the such unapproved layouts, which are eligible under the scheme. According to the relaxation, developers should provide 10% of the unsold plot area as OSR. However, with respect to layouts having unsold plot area up to 5,000 sq m, the developer can either provide 10% of the unsold plot area as OSR or pay the amount equivalent to 10% of the prevailing guideline value of the unsold plot area.

Earlier, developers were mandated to provide 10% of the total area of unsold plots by amalgamating or altering the unsold plots.