State govt to tinker combined building rules

When it comes to regulations on building planning and development, one size doesn’t fit all. Finding the implementation of Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, difficult due to its stress on uniform development regulations, the State government is mooting an amendment to frame rules based on the nature and requirement of different planning areas.

A senior official in the Housing and Urban Development Department said that the combined building rules are impractical in many parts of TN. “Though the requirements of urban and rural areas are different, the rules and regulations for both are the same. Hence, to make the rules more practical, the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department has decided to make amendments,” said the official.

The Department had released the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules in 2019. But within a few months, the Department had to make minor amendments to constitute a panel to scrutinise building plan approvals based on safety requirements and offer relaxations. The present amendments that are under contemplation would be second in around three years after the rules came into effect.

The official added that the amended rules are likely to address the requirements of Corporations and other local bodies. “The present rules are only suitable for cities like Chennai. For instance, as per the existing rules, marriage halls should be constructed only on roads more than 50 feet wider. But most of the rural areas and small towns do not have roads which are that wide. The amendment will address issues like these,” he explained.

Similarly, the Department has also decided to incorporate rules mandating energy efficient and climate resilience designs while constructing new buildings. To mark a beginning, a GO was issued recently directing Tamil Nadu Housing Board and Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board to follow the guidelines that were prepared based on Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. The order had added that the combined building rules of 2019 would be amended to incorporate these recommendations for other buildings, too.

S Ram Prabhu of the Builders’ Association of India said builders and the public across the State were facing issues since common rules came into force three years ago. “We have requested the government to frame separate rules for tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 cities. The rules are well implementable in Chennai. But people in other parts of the State are forced to violate the rules,” he added. Ram Prabhu further said that adhering to the rules in rural areas is difficult as they could not leave stipulated set back areas and others. “The association requests the government to frame rules that can be followed in villages too,” he said.

The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Rural Development Department to monitor the encroachment and deterioration of Moovarasampattu lake near Madipakkam.

The bench also granted more time for the block development officer of St Thomas Mount Panchayat Union to facilitate necessary structures for the disposal of the excess water from the Gangai Yamman Temple pond to Madipakkam lake within three months.

Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, hearing the case on Wednesday, noted that the Moovarasampattu lake has been turned into rain water harvesting reservoir, according to the joint committee constituted by the NGT in 2020.

On completion of the inspection, the joint committee filed a report on April 5 which stated that improvement works such as providing retaining wall, walking pathway and light arrangements were made. Further, the committee noted that there is no dumping of waste in the pond as a compound wall is constructed on all four sides.

The bench, however observed that though it directed the Chengalpattu Collector to submit an action plan on tracing the inlet and outlet of the pond, restoring the inlet of Moovarasampattu lake and the outlet channel leading to Adambakkam lake, the Collector till date has failed to submit report.

The bench directed the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department to finish the action plan, while also monitoring the encroachment and to submit a report on or before May 25.