TN Raises Self-Certification Limit for Residential Buildings to 5,000 Sq Ft

Tamil Nadu Minister for Housing and Urban Development B. Rajkumar announced in the Assembly on Friday that the permissible built-up area for obtaining building permission through the self-certification scheme for residential buildings will be increased from 3,500 sq. ft. to 5,000 sq. ft.

The expanded limit applies to residential structures comprising a ground floor and two floors (G+2) and stilt plus three floors (Stilt+3). Making announcements for the Housing Department, the Minister also stated that a self-certification scheme will be introduced for small commercial buildings with a floor area of up to 1,500 sq. ft.

To allow the public to obtain permissions without approaching local bodies directly, the State government will roll out a third-party certification system for residential buildings with a floor area of up to 8,070 sq. ft. Under this mechanism, building permission will be issued after verifying compliance with building regulations. A similar third-party certification system will cover commercial buildings up to 3,230 sq. ft. and industrial buildings in approved SIDCO, SIPCOT, or ELCOT layouts with areas up to 26,900 sq. ft.

The government will also implement an entirely online application process for land use changes. Delegated powers for granting residential building permissions will be expanded from 10,000 sq. ft. to 16,140 sq. ft. in municipal corporations and municipalities, and to 12,912 sq. ft. in town panchayats and village panchayats.

In addition to regulatory changes, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) will construct 842 multi-storeyed residential apartments at a cost of ₹914 crore across Chennai and other districts, including Cuddalore, Madurai, Tiruvallur, and Kanniyakumari. In Perambur, 472 multi-storeyed housing units will be built at an estimated cost of ₹111.8 crore, while the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board will reconstruct 12,648 multi-storeyed units across the state.

The Minister also detailed infrastructure upgrades in Chennai, including ₹25 crore allocated to strengthen internal roads at the Sathangadu Iron and Steel Market Complex and the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex. In Koyambedu, new shops spanning 22,000 sq. ft. will be built between blocks L, M, and N of the vegetable market for ₹7.5 crore, alongside ₹10 crore dedicated to providing drinking water connections to each shop.