AP introduces self-certification scheme for building permissions

In a revolutionary move, Andhra Pradesh Government on Sunday issued a self-certification scheme (SCS) for building permissions aimed at increasing the demand for the realty sector.

In GO Ms. No. 120 issued by the Department of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, the revised guidelines for self certified building permissions under the SCS – 2025, were issued today, marking a significant step towards streamlining and accelerating construction activities across the State,

According to S. Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, MAUD, the introduction of SCS 2025 is a strategic move by the government to ease the citizens for obtaining development permissions in the hassle free manner enhancing “Speed of Doing Business”, as per the directives issued by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. It aims to foster a participatory approach to development that will boost the real estate sector as well as the construction industry in the State. The core objectives include making the building environment safe, inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and contributing to economic development by enhancing Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and cultivating an investment-friendly environment.

Suresh Kumar said a fundamental aspect of the SCS 2025 is the proactive devolution of enforcement power and responsibilities for adhering to approved building permissions directly to Licensed Technical Personnel (LTPs) and citizens on a trust basis. This trust-based mechanism is designed to significantly reduce processing times and regulatory hurdles:

He stated that the Online Building Permission System (OBPS) is equipped to scrutinize applications and issue building permission proceedings instantaneously after the payment of necessary fees and charges, operating on a trust basis. This rapid approval process is a cornerstone of improving the speed of doing business. Upon obtaining permission through OBPS, applicants are authorised to commence construction immediately.

A key highlight is that supervisory checks by Town Planning functionaries for self-certified buildings are hereby dispensed with. While a random selection of 10% to 15% of total files will still undergo inspection, this significant change drastically reduces the compliance burden on the public and developers.

In its initial phase, the SCS is applicable to specific categories of construction projects: It applies to non-high-rise residential building plan permissions for plot areas up to 4000 sq.mt. This includes plots in approved layouts, layouts regularized under LRS-2008 and LRS 2020 schemes, Village sites and

Gramakantam, areas with approved circulation patterns, and redevelopment of existing buildings with prior approved plans or those existing before 1985.

The scheme also covers the establishment of White Category industries, as defined by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB), provided they have a site extent of 500 sq.mt or below. These guidelines are applicable across all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Andhra Pradesh and for Gram Panchayats within Urban Development Authorities (UDAs) jurisdiction, including APCRDA (excluding the Capital City area), for sites 300 sq.mt or larger, the GO stated.

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