T.N. govt. introduces planning permission system based on third-party certification

With a government order being issued introducing a third-party certification-based planning permission system for residential, commercial and industrial buildings , third-party registered architects and grade I registered engineers have now been empowered to issue certification for planning permission.A residential building on a plot having a floor space index (FSI) of up to 750 sq.m, a maximum height of 14 m, with stilt plus three floors or ground plus two floors, and up to eight dwelling units will be built based on third-party certification, once the approved plan and proceedings are downloaded after submitting the application online.The registered engineers and architects will also start third-party certification for commercial buildings having an FSI of up to 300 sq.m, and a maximum height of 14 m, with stilt plus three floors or ground plus two floors.White or green category industrial buildings or structure in industrial layouts developed by the Small Industries Development Corporation, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited, and the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu or any other approved industrial layout having an FSI of up to 2500 sq.m, and a maximum height of 18.3 m will also be constructed based on third-party certification.Officials will conduct random verification of at least 10% of the buildings, and blacklist the registered engineers/architects in the event of violations, deviations, or misrepresentation of facts.The scheme shall not be applicable to construction in Coastal Regulation Zones, areas notified by the Hill Area Conservation Authority, areas where development is prohibited as mentioned in Annexure XVII of these rules, ecologically sensitive areas, and any other area notified by the government.Likewise, the scheme will not be applicable to natham lands; lands classified as agriculture, institutional, special and hazardous, industrial (except a white or green category industrial building), open space and recreational, and non-urban use zones; sites falling under street alignments and road-widening schemes; and areas reserved for public purposes in the Master Plan, New Town Development Plans, Detailed Development Plans, and Grid of Roads plans in planning areas.The competent authority will revoke the permission, if it is found to be obtained through misrepresentation of facts or fraud by the applicant or third party. The competent authority will take action under sections 56 and 57 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972) and rules. The applicant and the third party shall be jointly and severally liable for prosecution and punishment under section 236 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Central Act 45 of 2023, the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1998 (Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 1999) , the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994) and the rules made thereunder.Call for inclusionRegistered Engineers’ Welfare Association (CMDA and DTCP) founder president A. Balasubramani said more than one lakh grade II and grade III registered engineers, whose livelihoods depend on urban planning, did not have any clarity about their role, as the decision to introduce third-party certification did not include them.“We have requested the government to include grade II and grade III registered engineers in the third-party certification-based planning permission system, as they have been doing the same work for many years and have better experience in planning permission applications,” Mr. Balasubramani said. Published - November 16, 2026 12:36 am IST