Recommendations for the Combined Hill Area Development and Building Rules

The Centre for Urban Planning and Policy (CUPP) and the Centre for Research on Architecture and Urbanism (CAU) at CRDF were appointed by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) as consultants to provide clear, simplified, context-sensitive regulations for development and building construction suited to the hilly areas of the state, addressing inherent challenges posed by geological, ecological and their socio-economic requirements.

The team conducted extensive stakeholder engagements and site visits in January 2025 to understand the multiple challenges being faced in Tamil Nadu’s hilly areas, such as increasing development demand and restrictive regulations, adverse impacts of development on ecology, increased disaster vulnerability, and unauthorised development, to name a few. These have resulted in a severe decline of the ecological balance and rampant development in these areas.

The prevailing regulations and approval procedures in the hill areas and hill stations are complex, involving multiple departments which currently operate in silos.

The proposed "Tamil Nadu Hill Area Development and Building Regulations" shall provide clear, simplified, context-sensitive regulations for development and building construction suited to the hilly areas of the state, addressing inherent challenges posed by geological, ecological, and their socio-economic requirements. It shall cover planning, procedural, and performance regulations as a comprehensive DR manual.

CRDF's recommendations will focus on balanced development, promoting ecology while catering to the development needs in hilly areas. It shall also focus on developing combined yet stratified planning regulations for the hilly areas, with more efficient approval processes, clear regulations resolving current ambiguities and overlaps, and streamlined compliance processes.