Chennai, Nov 5:
The Tamil Nadu government has notified stringent amendments to the rules governing the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural and real estate purposes in non-planning areas, introducing rigid screening norms to curb the unchecked conversion of cultivable land into housing layouts.
Under the amended framework governing the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) non-planning jurisdiction, the state administration has mandated the compulsory submission of nine primary legal and revenue documents to establish unencumbered title, exact classification, and non-violation of natural drainage channels.
Applicants seeking Change of Land Use (CLU) approval are now required to submit registered sale or lease title deeds, updated Patta copies, Chitta records, FMB field inspection sketches, Encumbrance Certificates, and statutory declarations confirming the non-disruption of natural irrigation channels.
The revised regulations also emphasize strict distinction between wet lands (Nanjai) and dry lands (Punjai). While personal site inspection and concurrence from the respective District Collector remain mandatory for wetland conversion to evaluate cultivation history and irrigation impact, the procedures for dry lands have been streamlined with the Director empowered to examine verified digital submissions.
Authorities clarified that local administrative bodies cannot grant layout or building approvals without full documentary compliance and formal conversion concurrence.