Thirty-one years after it was first implemented in the national Capital, the Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD) has announced that Unified Building Bye-laws have been revised with an aim to create an integrated single-window mechanism for online approval of building plans.
Moreover, for residential plots of size up to 105 sq m in Delhi, the plot owner need not obtain sanction of building plans. S/he will only be required to submit an undertaking intimating about construction along with requisite fees and other documents to start construction.
The number of documents to be submitted for obtaining building permits has been reduced from 40 to just 14 and the maximum time limit for granting building permit has been reduced from 60 to just 30 days to enhance the ease of doing business.
Owners of plots of more than 3,000 sq m area can construct public washroom complexes with access from outside, in addition to other mandatory sanitary requirements.
“The new laws have been made user friendly through unification and simplification of a host of amendments made over the last three decades and integration of approvals by different agencies into a single platform,” said Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday.
“Delhi’s Building Bye-laws were last revised in 1983 and several amendments were made over the last three decades resulting in complexity and even confusion in understanding various changes and filing applications accordingly. To do away with this problem, the Bye-laws have been unified for easy reference besides simplification of processes,” said Naidu.
Applicants can submit one single online application to concerned urban local body instead of approaching various agencies. Also, they can now make a single payment to the concerned urban local body electronically, instead of making required payments to various agencies separately.
“One common single application form has been devised for online submission by the building proponents (applicants) to the concerned urban local body instead of applying to various agencies like Airports Authority of India, National Monuments Authority, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Urban Arts Commission, Delhi Metro, Power Distribution Companies, concerned Central ministries like Forests, Railways, Defence etc. Applicants will not be required to make required payments to various agencies separately and instead can make single payment to the concerned urban local body electronically,” said Naidu.
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has now concurred to integrate approvals by agreeing to empower urban local bodies to accord environmental clearance (EC) for built-up area up to 1,50,000 sq m as against the present norm of obtaining EC from State Environment Assessment Authorities under that Ministry for built-up area of 20,000 sq m and above up to 1,50,000 sq m.
According to guidelines, under risk based classification newly adopted for residential plotted buildings and warehouses/storage facilities/godowns, architect/engineer is empowered to issue building permits for low risk residential buildings (105-500 sq mtrs) and very low risk godowns of up to 250 sq mtrs.
“For low risk and moderate risk category buildings, local bodies will be required to grant permits within 10 to 20 days. Approvals /No Objection Certificates by external agencies like AAI, NMA, Delhi Fire Services, DMRC, Ministry of Environment etc., shall be issued within 15 days. The number of documents to be submitted for obtaining building permits has been reduced from 40 to just 14. Procedure for obtaining Completion-cum-Occupancy Certificate has been simplified by reducing the number of documents to be submitted by the owner from 36 to just 9,” the guidelines said.
“All buildings on plot sizes of more than 105 sq mtrs have to conform to the mandatory green building norms for obtaining sanctions. These include provisions for water conservation and management, solar energy utilisation, energy efficiency and management. These measures help in making Delhi more sustainable and environment friendly. New Bye-laws require measures for ensuring safety in terms of provisions for structural design and earthquake disaster mitigation. To present an aesthetically pleasing and vibrant environment, public art shall be promoted in built up areas,” it said.
