Housing and Urban Development Department, 2024

What the publication covers

The Government of Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Department presents its approach to affordable housing, planned development, sustainable urban growth and coordinated transport. It identifies population growth, migration, pressure on civic infrastructure, housing demand and informal settlements as major urban challenges.

The publication also provides the Budget Estimate for 2024-2025 for organisations under the department. It describes their responsibilities rather than announcing a specific land classification change or property approval.

Town and country planning

The Directorate of Town and Country Planning implements the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 and promotes planned development. Its key planning functions include:

• Preparing and enforcing Regional Plans, Master Plans and Detailed Development Plans.
• Regulating development and supporting the effective use of natural resources.
• Preparing non-statutory plans, including Heritage Town Development Plans and Comprehensive Mobility Plans.
• Encouraging decentralised development, sustainable urbanisation and improved infrastructure.

The Directorate of Town and Country Planning has its headquarters in Chennai and 37 district offices. Its jurisdiction covers Tamil Nadu except the Chennai Metropolitan Area, including corporations, municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats within that jurisdiction.

Agencies and responsibilities

The Government of Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Department exercises administrative control over agencies responsible for planning, housing, regulation and transport. The publication highlights these functions:

• The Tamil Nadu Housing Board develops layouts, houses, flats and plots with basic amenities for different income groups, and plans satellite townships.
• The Registrar of Co-operative Societies (Housing) regulates housing cooperative societies, which may provide developed plots and loans to members.
• The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority coordinates agencies involved in urban mobility within the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
• The Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority are also identified as organisations involved in departmental policies and programmes.

Relevance to property owners and buyers

Property buyers and professionals can use the publication to identify which planning body may be relevant to a site. Land outside the Chennai Metropolitan Area generally falls within the planning jurisdiction described for the Directorate of Town and Country Planning. The source does not provide plot-specific zoning, approval status, charges or title information, so those matters cannot be determined from this publication alone.