CHENNAI: Beginning July 1, the state government implemented a time-limited ‘deemed NOC’ system to simplify the process of obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for planning permissions. This initiative aims to cut down bureaucratic hurdles, enhance transparency, and expedite project approvals, particularly in the housing and infrastructure sectors.
“This is the first instance of a state introducing such a system. While the Government Order was issued on October 24, the specific regulations for deemed NOCs are now available. This is a positive development for the housing and related industries, potentially saving three to six months in the NOC acquisition process,” stated S. Sridharan, an executive committee member of CREDAI National.
According to the new protocol, 11 critical departments—such as district collectorates, fire services, water resources, forest, CMRL, and TNHB—are required to process NOC applications within 30 days. The agriculture department operates under a 21-day deadline.
After an NOC request is lodged, departments have 10 days to raise any queries or conduct inspections. Should no questions arise in that timeframe, further objections are blocked. Applicants are given an additional 20 days to respond, followed by another 10 days for departmental action. If no decision is made, the application is deemed “approved initiated,” but it cannot be downloaded at that stage.
When deemed approval occurs, departments have a final seven-day window to raise objections. If no objections are made, or unresolved objections persist past set timelines, the NOC is marked as ‘deemed approved’ and can be downloaded by the applicant.
Officials indicated that when an objection is raised within the allowed timeframe, there is no fixed timeframe for the applicant’s response.
Further guidelines specify that NOCs involving central agencies like Defence, Airport Authority of India, Archaeological Survey of India, National Highways Authority, Environment Impact Assessment Authority, and Southern Railways must still be obtained prior to granting planning permissions.
In coastal regulation zones, it’s necessary to obtain approval from the competent authority before applying for planning clearance. The agriculture engineering department is exempt from issuing NOCs, as HACA validation is considered adequate.
For power infrastructure projects, a separate NOC from Tangedco is not required for HT/LT lines crossing a site, as these will be validated by CMDA or DTCP. However, Tangedco approval remains essential for Extra High Tension (EHT) lines, including transmission towers.
