Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Hill Stations) Building Rules, 1993 (1993)

What the rules govern

The Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Hill Stations) Building Rules, 1993 were issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department under G.O.Ms.No.120, Municipal Administration and Water Supply, dated 3 June 1993. They apply to hill stations listed in Schedule II to the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, and other hill area local bodies to which the identified chapters of that Act have been extended. The rules came into force at once.

The rules cover construction, reconstruction, alteration, development of sites, and changing agricultural land to a non-agricultural purpose. They also cover engineering, mining and allied operations.

Who is affected

The Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Hill Stations) Building Rules, 1993 affect owners and applicants proposing development in covered hill areas. Public buildings include educational institutions, hospitals, clubs, lodging houses, timeshare apartments, tourist cottages, community halls, hotels, eating houses, places of worship and government offices open to the public.

An application and its plans must be signed by the owner, or supported by the owner's authority or consent. An architect must also sign them. A licensed building surveyor or engineer may prepare plans for a building with floor area not exceeding 50 square metres.

Approval application and documents

An applicant must submit the prescribed application to the executive authority. Required material includes:

• Site and building plans in quintuplicate.
• Specifications in quintuplicate.
• Proposed external finish and colour scheme.
• Landscaping and tree planting details.
• Compound wall, fencing, hedge and gate details.
• Information on steps, ramps, driveways, terracing, cutting, embankments, retaining walls, levels and contours.
• Existing and proposed lighting details.
• Details of existing trees, proposed tree cutting and replacement planting.
• Water supply, drainage and sewage disposal details.
• A statement explaining how the proposal protects scenic beauty and fits the hill station's ecology, unless the proposal costs less than Rs.20 lakhs.

The executive authority may request further information and may return the application if it is not provided within one month of the request.

Fees, deposit and site limits

Licence fees per square metre are Rs.3.00 for a single dwelling, Rs.4.50 for multi-dwelling premises or dwellings combined with other uses, and Rs.7.50 for listed non-dwelling uses. The licence lasts one year, with the same rate applying on renewal.

A Rs.2,000 security deposit and an undertaking to clear construction debris are required. For dwelling houses, a site generally needs at least 95 square metres and a minimum width of six metres, subject to stated exceptions. A site with a gradient steeper than one vertical to three horizontal cannot be used for building construction.