The State government in Kerala has implemented significant changes to its building rules. These amendments are part of a broader effort to boost the ease of doing business and alleviate common challenges faced by citizens when applying for construction permits.
During a press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram, Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh announced these pivotal changes. He highlighted that the revisions were a direct response to issues raised in district-level public grievance forums (adalats) and were developed following extensive consultations with various stakeholders by a 14-member committee.
A key modification is the expanded definition of ‘low-risk buildings,’ which now qualifies many more projects for immediate, self-certified building permits. Previously, this category was limited to two-storey residential buildings up to 300 square meters with a maximum height of 7 meters. By removing this height restriction, an estimated 80% of residential constructions will now be eligible for permits within minutes of application. This addresses previous complaints from adalats where two-storey homes were often denied quick permits due to height limitations.
Boosting Commercial Projects
For commercial properties, the maximum area eligible for self-certified permits has been increased from 100 square meters to 250 square meters. This expansion will allow numerous medium-sized businesses to secure immediate permit allocations. Similar relaxations apply to buildings up to 200 square meters that fall under the Pollution Control Board’s white and green categories.
To expedite permits for projects not classified as low-risk, initial site inspections can now be bypassed if the application’s validity can be digitally verified. However, a mandatory site inspection will occur once construction reaches the plinth-level. Any detected violations will result in the permit being frozen, and immediate action will be taken against both the owner and the licensee.
Furthermore, the Floor Space Index (FSI), which is the ratio of total built-up area to plot area, for government-owned IT parks has been significantly increased from 4 to 7. The permissible coverage area has also been raised from 60% to 70%. These same amendments will be extended to all constructions within designated transit-oriented development (TOD) zones and central business districts (CBDs).
Mandatory Permits for Government Buildings
The maximum distance required from un-notified roads for residential constructions up to 100 square meters on plots of up to two cents has been reduced from 2 meters to 1 meter. A crucial new directive makes building permits compulsory for government buildings as well, addressing previous instances of rule violations in such structures.
The range of buildings that local body secretaries can approve without requiring clearance from the district town planner has also been broadened. This includes hospital buildings up to 6,000 square meters (up from 1,500 sq m), industrial buildings up to 3,000 square meters (up from 1,500 sq m), storage buildings up to 8,000 square meters (up from 6,000 sq m), and hazardous category buildings up to 500 square meters. The requirement for chief town planner clearance for certain building categories has also been removed.
Flexible Permit Transfers and Business Support
Permit transfer regulations have been liberalized, meaning a building permit’s validity will remain intact even if a portion of the land is transferred to another party. Previously, existing rules rendered permits invalid if an owner wished to sell or transfer part of their land to a relative.
Exemptions, once limited to residential constructions, now extend to small-scale businesses. This includes flour mills, food processing units, and bakeries up to 100 square meters, as well as pain and palliative care units up to 300 square meters.
New Category for Recreational Facilities and Industrial Units
A new ‘Group D1 – Recreational Constructions’ category has been introduced specifically for turfs and game courts. This category features fewer restrictions to encourage sports and recreational activities.
For small-scale industrial units up to 200 square meters under the G1 category, the front set-back has been reduced from 3 meters to 1.8 meters, and side and rear set-backs have been cut from 2 meters to 1 meter. The minimum room height in these constructions has also been lowered from 3.6 meters to 3 meters.
Parking and Other Considerations
The fees for extending the permit validity period have been halved. Regarding parking, at least 25% of required facilities must be located on the same plot, while the remaining 75% can now be accommodated within a 200-meter radius.
For hostels associated with educational institutions, parking is now required for only 50% of the residential capacity. If the hostel is within the same campus, this requirement further reduces to just 25%. Similar 25% parking provisions apply to old age homes, seminaries, convents, and orphanages.
All new constructions are now mandated to include children-friendly toilet facilities. Additionally, sheet roofing is permitted for houses up to three storeys without requiring extra permits. The regulations concerning revised permit applications and regularization have also been made more flexible.