Andhra Cabinet approves building rule relaxations; to benefit small, individual plot owners

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved relaxations in building rules, benefiting small-scale structures and individual plot owners, aimed at promoting ease of doing construction.

The reforms are designed to streamline the approval process and reduce regulatory burdens on builders and developers.

“The revised norms, earlier applicable only to buildings above five floors, will now be extended to structures below five floors as well,” said Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana.

Flexible approval mechanism

Elaborating further, the minister said that under the new guidelines, builders are allowed to mortgage 10 percent of the plot area and commence construction per approved norms. For constructions on government lands, an affidavit will now be sufficient to obtain necessary permissions.

In a further easing of restrictions, balconies extending up to 1.5 metres will be permitted for buildings elevated three metres from ground level. Additionally, the installation of CCTV cameras has been made mandatory in all residential and commercial buildings to enhance security.

Industrial and Infrastructure norms relaxed

The Cabinet has also revised road width criteria based on the type of industry. For non-red category industries, a minimum road width of nine metres is required, while red category industries must have a 12-metre-wide road. All new buildings must also include a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located at the rear of the structure.

TDR bonds for land losers

To compensate those affected by land acquisition for road widening, the government will issue Transferable Development Rights (TDR) bonds. These bonds will allow affected individuals to construct an additional floor on their property without seeking fresh approval.

Licensing, fee, and pathway relaxations

Narayana also said that the builder and developer licenses will now be valid for three years, giving greater flexibility and planning time. For very small construction,s ground floor or ground plus one, within 50 square metres, approval will be granted for a nominal fee of just Rs 1.

For properties shared by siblings, the requirement for pathway access has also been relaxed. A two-metre-wide pathway will now suffice for plots up to 100 square metres, while a 3.6-metre path will be adequate for larger plots.

The new regulations are expected to benefit thousands of small builders, individual homeowners, and developers, particularly in semi-urban and urban expansion zones across the state, the Minister said.