Tamil Nadu Regional Plan (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2021 (2022)

What the rules govern

The Tamil Nadu Regional Plan (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2021 govern regional planning areas declared under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971. They set deadlines and procedures for mapping existing land and building use, preparing a draft regional plan, inviting public comments and securing approval from the Government.

Preparation of maps and plans

A Regional Planning Authority must:

• Prepare a land and building use map within eighteen months from its constitution.
• Map the regional planning area as a whole at a scale of not less than 1:1,00,000, and its different parts at a scale of not less than 1:50,000.
• Include areas of tourist importance in the mapping work.
• Prepare a draft regional plan within twenty four months after preparation of the land and building use map.
• Consult development authorities, relevant local planning authorities and the Director while preparing the draft.

Local planning authorities and development authorities may review and reconcile sanctioned and ongoing development plans to conform to the regional plan. Amendments may also be made to accommodate proposed regional growth centres and industrial zones.

Matters covered by a regional plan

A draft regional plan may address:

• Residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, recreational, forest and mineral uses.
• Population, settlements, new town sites, growth centres and peri-urban areas.
• Economic hubs, industrial parks, housing needs, slums, tribal settlements, informal residential areas and unauthorised colonies.
• Roads, railways, waterways, airports, freight facilities and development corridors.
• Water supply, drainage, sewerage, waste disposal, education, health care, electricity and gas.
• Forests, wetlands, coastal or hill zones, biodiversity, hazard-prone areas, pollution and disaster risks.
• Archaeological, historical, natural, religious and other heritage, together with tourism infrastructure.

Public participation and approval

The Regional Planning Authority must publish notice of the draft regional plan and invite objections or suggestions from interested persons within two months from publication. It must consider the responses and provide a reasonable opportunity of being heard to anyone who requests it.

The Government may approve the plan, approve it with modifications, return it for changes or direct preparation of a fresh plan. An approved regional plan must be published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette and leading regional newspapers, with details of where and when the public may inspect it.

Who may be affected

Property buyers, owners, developers and professionals may be affected where a regional plan covers their area, particularly through proposed land uses, development controls, infrastructure, environmental protection, hazard planning or growth zones. The rules also give interested persons an opportunity to object or suggest changes while a draft plan is under consideration.