G.O.(Ms)No.72, Formation of Building Committee, 2022

What the government order governs

Government Order G.O. (Ms.) No. 72 of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, establishes a common approval process for new government buildings and redevelopment of existing government premises. Instead of departments receiving individual plots and constructing separate buildings, proposals should consider shared office complexes that accommodate multiple departments and use the maximum Floor Space Index allowed by planning rules.

The policy applies to Chennai, suburban areas, other major cities and District Headquarters. It primarily affects government departments, government agencies, societies, District Collectors and agencies responsible for government buildings.

Building Committee

The Building Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary to Government. Its members include senior officials from the Public Works Department, Finance Department, Housing and Urban Development Department, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the Commissioner of Land Administration, the Member Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Engineer-in-Chief (Buildings) of the Public Works Department.

The Principal Secretary to Government, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, is the member convenor.

Key provisions

Government building and redevelopment proposals must follow these arrangements:

• The Building Committee will consider overall office space requirements, land availability and planning rules before approving the sanction of new buildings.
• The Public Works Department will consolidate the floor space requirements of all departments, including head offices and field offices.
• The Finance Department will route sanction proposals for new buildings through the Building Committee.
• The Revenue Department will identify land parcels in Chennai, suburban areas and other major cities for development as office complexes.
• Future office complexes must be planned to use the full permitted Floor Space Index.
• The Public Works Department and Revenue Department will examine older and sub-optimal buildings and prepare redevelopment proposals using the Public Works Department building register.
• Building-owning agencies should identify premises available for rent or lease while existing offices or office complexes are redeveloped.
• District Collectors, assisted by Executive Engineers for Buildings and District Revenue Officers, must undertake a similar exercise in each District Headquarters.
• Individual departments must not propose exclusive quarters only for their own officials.

Relevance to property owners and buyers

Government Order G.O. (Ms.) No. 72 concerns planning and approval of government offices and quarters. It does not identify a specific property for development or set out any land acquisition process, private development approval, fee or Floor Space Index rate.