Real estate companies want that building plans should approved only after environment clearance

Q: Real estate companies in top metros have told that local government bodies should approve building plans only after the project has been granted environment clearance.

Ravindra Singh,

18th January 2016

Legal in Mumbai

real estate

credai

real estate in mumbai

ngt

environmental clearance

supreme court

building plan approval

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Replies (3)

Hi all,
Most projects in Mumbai must abide by norms regarding coastal regulatory zones, while some urban locations need to follow forest-related regulations.

Hritwik, Noida

18th January 2016

Comment

It is true. And recently, Industry body CREDAI has sent a representation to the environment ministry saying there should a time-limit, single-window clearance system for environment approvals, as a majority of the conditions in the environment clearances that builders get from the government are the same.

Praveen Modi, Mumbai

18th January 2016

However, builders in Noida, Gurgaon, Bengaluru and Mumbai said they have always had to obtain environment clearance to get their building plans passed. Without the environment clearance, the local government will not pass the building plans for the project.

Diwakar Shetty,

18th January 2016

Comment

Hi Diwakar,
I agree with you but Environment clearance, however, has been a painful point with builders because it is the biggest contributor to delays in building projects. It takes up to 18 months to obtain environment clearance, depending on the city. Over the last one year, no builder in Noida has got environment clearance before at least 8 months

Hritwik, Noida

18th January 2016

In Haryana, there is a clause in the building plan approval process that makes green clearance mandatory.

Srishti, Gurgaon

18th January 2016

But at the same time, Environment Clearance takes the longest time among all approvals. No projects can be launched without environmental approvals. According to me, timeline for approvals has to be reduced to make projects more workable for developers and more affordable for customers.

Amit Raj, Delhi-NCR

18th January 2016

In July last year, the National Green Tribunal had rejected an environment ministry office memo that allowed builders to correct their mistake by applying for environment clearance while construction was on. The tribunal said the ministry's memo altered the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the EIA notification of 2006.

Diwakar Shetty,

18th January 2016

Comment

On 15/01/2016, the top court said it will re-examine its earlier order, backing the NGT's stand that housing projects cannot take off without green clearance.

Pranab Malakar,

18th January 2016