Circular on SEZ Open Space Reservation and Roads

What the circular governs

The Commissioner of Town and Country Planning communicated Housing and Urban Development (UD4(1)) Department G.O. (Ms.) No. 200, dated 5 August 2013, to all subordinate offices. The directions cover the handing over, maintenance and protection of Open Space Reservation land and roads in existing and future Special Economic Zones.

The circular asks subordinate planning offices to follow the Government directions and acknowledge receipt.

Existing Special Economic Zones

For an existing Special Economic Zone:

• Open Space Reservation land and internal roads do not have to be handed over to the local body while the Special Economic Zone continues to operate.
• The Special Economic Zone developer must maintain the Open Space Reservation land and internal roads.
• Open Space Reservation land must remain reserved open space. No development is allowed on it except its use as green space or a park.
• The planning authority must enter the Open Space Reservation area in its caution register and must never grant development permission for that space.
• The Special Economic Zone developer and the Development Commissioner of the Special Economic Zone must each give a separate undertaking to maintain the reserved land and internal roads during the operation of the Special Economic Zone.
• If the Special Economic Zone is de-notified later, the developer and Development Commissioner must hand over the Open Space Reservation land and internal roads to the local body.

Future Special Economic Zones

For a future Special Economic Zone:

• The developer must hand over 10% of the total area as Open Space Reservation land.
• The reserved area must abut a public road that has a minimum width of 10 m.
• The Open Space Reservation area must not be included within the notified Special Economic Zone area.
• The developer must hand over a road along the periphery of the Special Economic Zone to provide access to rear lands.
• Internal roads remain under the ownership and maintenance of the developer while the Special Economic Zone operates.
• Separate undertakings from the developer and the Development Commissioner are required so that internal roads will be handed over to the local body if the Special Economic Zone is de-notified.

Who is affected

Housing and Urban Development (UD4(1)) Department G.O. (Ms.) No. 200 affects Special Economic Zone developers, Development Commissioners of Special Economic Zones, local bodies and planning authorities responsible for recording reserved land and deciding development permission.