Under the revised rules, properties will be randomly assigned to empanelled consultants through an automated system, preventing consultants from choosing the properties they inspect.
| Photo Credit: Representational Photo
The State government is partially relaxing building rules by introducing third-party inspections in place of scrutiny by regulatory authorities for issuing building permissions and occupancy certificates.
Officials said the move is part of the Central government’s deregulation policy, which seeks to remove government control, wherever feasible, across various sectors.
A government order has been issued amending the building rules to allow third-party inspections for two categories of properties. Under the revised rules, for proposals in approved layouts involving plots of up to 500 square metres and buildings up to 10 metres in height, ‘Empanelled Third Parties’ can submit post-verification or inspection reports.
Based on the report, the municipal commissioner will either issue a work commencement certificate or a rejection letter. This will effectively eliminate the need for intervention by town planning officials.
In the second category, occupancy certificates will be issued based on third-party inspection reports for plots of up to 300 square metres and buildings up to 10 metres in height. However, for individual buildings on plots of up to 200 square metres with a height of up to seven metres, obtaining an occupancy certificate will remain optional.
Properties will be randomly assigned to empanelled consultants through an automated system, preventing consultants from choosing the properties they inspect. The municipal authorities will pay the consultants for their services.
Regulatory scrutiny will be limited to random inspections of 10% of the properties cleared by third-party consultants.
The new system will apply uniformly to all civic bodies across the State. A portal for registration and empanelment of licensed technical persons is being developed, after which the system will be formally implemented, senior officials said.
The Director, Town & Country Planning, has been authorised to implement the changes to the building rules and incorporate them into the online building approval system.
Published – September 30, 2026 08:50 pm IST
