The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order empowering the CMDA to give planning permissions for high-rise buildings.

Following orders from chief minister C Joseph Vijay, this decision has been taken to simplify the approval process and ensure faster clearances for high-rise projects within the Chennai metropolitan area, an official release from the secretariat said.

Earlier, the approval process for high-rise buildings was long and highly time-consuming. Developers had to submit applications to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), followed by field inspections and detailed scrutiny by authorities. Following this, the proposals were placed before the multi-storeyed building committee for evaluation.

Based on the committee's recommendations, the files were forwarded to the state government, and planning permission was issued only after the government passed a specific government order.

To eliminate these procedural delays and reduce the turnaround time for developers, the chief minister has ordered a restructuring of the workflow.

Under the new directive, the CMDA itself is fully authorised to grant the final planning permission for high-rise buildings, provided the projects comply with standard building rules and regulations and receive the necessary nod from the multi-storeyed building committee.

This reform is expected to significantly boost urban development and ease of doing business in Chennai, the release added.

Published on June 16, 2026