Listed below is detailed summary of the procedures, time and costs —including obtaining necessary licenses and permits, completing required notifications and inspections and obtaining utility connections.
1. Submit application and design plans at the Building Proposal Office of BMC and pay scrutiny fee (Municipal) - 1 day
a) The building company submits an application form with plans and all required documents, as prescribed by Section 373 of the BMC Act, at the Andheri Building Proposal Office (BPO)of the BMC.
b) If all documents are in order and the file is complete, the building company can proceed to payment of the scrutiny fees. Fees are paid in the same building by cash or bank draft.
c) The application file is forwarded to the concerned officer in the Building Proposal Department.
d) Then the file is forwarded to the Survey Office, which make its remarks on the application file and check the remarks from the Development Plan office (obtained during the design stage of the project).
If the Survey Office is satisfied with its review, it will send the application file back to the Building Proposal Department within one week.
The cost for this procedure is INR 28 per square meter of the built-up area/plot area, whichever is larger.
INR 36,417
2. Receive site inspection from the Building Proposal Office of the BMC (Municipal) - 1 day - no cost!
A sub-engineer from the BPO will conduct a site inspection within 3 to 4 days of receiving the file from the survey office. The date and time of the site inspection are arranged by the company’s architect.
The building company must be on-site when the inspection takes place.
3. Obtain "intimation of disapproval" (building permit) from the BPO and pay fees (Municipal) -60days
a) After the site inspection, the application file returns to the BPO to receive an intimation of disapproval (authorization). The concerned sub engineer scrutinizes the proposal and
b) forwards the report to the assistant /executiive engineers. The proposal is approved at the executive engineer’s level if no concessions are involved. There are 3 executive engineers in the main BMC office and 2 in the Andheri office (the latter is the office considered for the purposes of this study).
Complete applications that do not require concessions (i.e., claiming of areas free of FSI as per provision in DCR 1991, deficiency in open spaces etc.) can be approved within a week. However, a majority of applications require some concessions and further scrutiny so must be forwarded to the competent authorities. This latter process may take 30 – 90 days to complete.
c) The intimation of disapproval is issued with a list of "no-objection certicates" (NOCs) which the applicant must obtain separately from various departments and government authorities.
Final clearance to build will only be given once the company obtains all NOCs. The NOCs assigned to the intimation of disapproval are case specific. For the purpose of this study, Doing Business has determined 7 basic NOCs that are required for almost all projects:
1. Tree Authority;
2. Storm Water and Drain Department;
3. Sewerage Department;
4. Hydralic Department;
5. Environmental Department (concerned with debris management);
6. Traffic and Coordination Department;
7. CFO (fire clearance).
The company’s architect must take the Intimation of Disapproval and the design plans to each clearance office separately. NOCs can be applied for simultaneously, but NOC offices are spread out, so the submission for these 7 NOCs is likely to take some time.
The cost for this procedure is INR 1 per square meter for Intimation of Disapproval + INR 2 per square meter (or a maximum of INR 45,000) as a deposit for debris clearance. The latter is returned after the completion of construction if the BMC has deemed all debris cleared.
INR 1,301 (intimation of disapproval fee 1 INR per square meter + 2 INR per square meter (or a maximum of INR 45,000) as a refundable deposit for debris clearance)
4 Submit structural plans approved by a structural engineer to the BMC (Municipal) - 1 day - No cost!
The Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) is only an approval of the civil plans.
Review of the structural plans is done in parallel with the NOC process.
No approval to this plan is required from the Municipal Corporation but copies are required to be submitted.
* 5 Apply for a "no-objection certificate" NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal) - No cost
Due to stringent environmental regulations, clearance from the Tree Authority set up under the Maharashtra (urban areas) Preservation of Trees Act (1975)is a must. The Tree Authority must ascertain what trees (if any) will be cut down as a result of construction. If trees are to be cut down, the building company will have to plant trees to replace them. Unfortunately the Tree Authority Commission only meets once a month.
* 6 Receive inspection from the Tree Authority (Municipal)
Inspectors from the Tree Authority visit the site to check if there are any trees located on the premises.
* 7 Finally Obtain the NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal) - 30 days Rs 4500/-
* 8 Request and obtain a NOC from the Storm Water and Drain Department (Municipal) -7 day
* 9. Request and obtain a NOC from the Sewerage Department (Municipal) -7 days
INR 77,306 (pro-rata charges are recovered at the rate 25% of INR23,250/- per running meter + 33% contingencies, supervision, sewerage charges etc., if the plot is abutting D. P. Road)
* 10 Request and obtain a NOC from the Electric Department (Municipal) - 7 days
Inform BEST of the project's power requirements along with a copy of application submitted for building plan approval. BEST will assess whether an electrical sub-station up-grade is required at this stage.
* 11 Request and obtain a NOC from the Environmental Department (Municipal) - 7 days
* 12 Request and obtain a NOC from the Traffic and Coordination Department (Municipal) -7days
* 13. Request and obtain a NOC from the Chief Fire Officer (Municipal) - 7 days, Rs 10sq mtr
All commercial structures require fire-safety clearance.
14. Finally we can start !!
Obtain commencement certificate from the BPO and pay development charges (Municipal) - 10 days
On submission of all required NOCs mentioned in the IOD and on compliance of the IOD conditions, the applicant may submit request for the commencement certificate (CC).
The documents and NOCs submitted by the applicants are verified by the staff and the necessary commencement certificate is approved.
After payment of development charges and other applicable premium the commencement certificate is issued within 7 to 15 days. The cost for the CC is INR 200 per square meter of land + INR 500 per square meter of building area.
15. Request and receive inspection of plinth (Municipal) - 1 day
16 - Submit completion notice to obtain occupancy certificate and certificate of completion (Municipal)
The company's architect must submit a formal letter stating that construction has been completed according to the standards set forth in the IOD and CC.
Rechecking now begins ...
* 17 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal)
* 18 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Storm Water and Drain Department (Municipal)
* 19 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Sewerage Department (Municipal)
* 20 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Electric Department (Municipal)
* 21 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Environmental Department (Municipal)
* 22 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Traffic and Coordination Department (Municipal)
* 23 Request and obtain a completion from the Chief Fire Officer (Municipal)
All commercial structures require a fire-safety clearance according to fire and safety rules and regulations stipulated in the Development Control Rule (1991) and the National Building Code.
The fee for low-rise commercial buildings is INR 5 per square foot.
24 Request and receive completion inspection from the BMC (Municipal)
25 Obtain occupancy certificate from the BMC (Municipal)
The occupancy certificate allows the building company to occupy the building
but is not considered a final document because the building company still requires the certificate of completion.
26 Obtain completion certificate from the BMC (Municipal)
The completion certificate is considered to be the ultimate document that the building company requires to fully occupy the building and connect it to utilities.
If you thought it was over...not yet !!
27 Apply for permanent water connection at Water Supply Department of the BMC (Municipal)
The building company must apply for the permanent water connection at the nearest Citizen Facilitation Center (CFC) established by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and submit Form A along with the following documents: a. Copy of valid IOD; b. Set of approved plan (certified copy); c. Appointment letter of the licensed plumber;
d. Estimated cost of construction; e. Paid bills of all existing CCMS; f. Completion certificate; g. Tanker water bills.
* 28. Receive on-site inspection for connection to water by the Water Supply Department (Municipal)
The assistant engineer of the Municipal Corporation makes the inspection. There are two inspections: one before the water connection is completed, and another after completion.
29. Obtain permanent water connection (with inspection) (Municipal)
* 30. Apply for permanent sewerage connection at Sewerage Department of BMC (Municipal)
An application is made to the Municipal Corporation for approval of permanent sewerage connection.
* 31. Receive on-site inspection for connection to sewage by Sewerage Department (Municipal)
32. Obtain permanent sewerage connection (Municipal)
* 33. Apply for permanent power connection and pay fees at BEST (Municipal)
The building company submits the form along with a registration fee of INR 50.
Within one week (statutory time limit), an inspection takes place to verify if the structure is permanent and to account for the number of connections required, etc. Within a week, a requirement letter from BEST authorities is mailed to the applicant. This letter lists the documents and payment to obtain a power connection: a. Proof of ownership; b. Availability of meter space, c. "Test report" by licensed electrical engineer; d. Payment of necessary fees.
* 34. Receive on-site inspection from BEST (Municipal)
A licensed electrical engineer employed by the building company must assess the internal wiring. On gathering these documents, the building company must return to the zonal office and submit them along with payment. After this, connection is given within a month's time in a majority of cases.
Long delays are often due to cable laying. If cable laying is done through private land, than the owner must get permission from them and give it to BEST. But if the underground cabling is done through government land, BEST must get permission from the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), and said permission takes some time to be granted. Also BMC only gives permission for underground cabling, during the dry season (April to October).
35. Obtain electricity connection upon payment of final fees (Municipal)
* 36. Apply for permanent phone connection at MTNL (National)
The building company must apply for the telephone connection at the local BSNL/ MTNL office. To obtain a commercial connection, the building company must submit the application along with a proof of ownership of the business the Permanent Account Number (PAN) cardand the tarrif rate.
37. Receive on-site inspection and connection to telephone by the utility provider (Natinal)
There are other permissions as well - like the LIFT (elevator) inspector coming over etc..
( information gathered from local sources & from www.doingbusiness.org)
1. Submit application and design plans at the Building Proposal Office of BMC and pay scrutiny fee (Municipal) - 1 day
a) The building company submits an application form with plans and all required documents, as prescribed by Section 373 of the BMC Act, at the Andheri Building Proposal Office (BPO)of the BMC.
b) If all documents are in order and the file is complete, the building company can proceed to payment of the scrutiny fees. Fees are paid in the same building by cash or bank draft.
c) The application file is forwarded to the concerned officer in the Building Proposal Department.
d) Then the file is forwarded to the Survey Office, which make its remarks on the application file and check the remarks from the Development Plan office (obtained during the design stage of the project).
If the Survey Office is satisfied with its review, it will send the application file back to the Building Proposal Department within one week.
The cost for this procedure is INR 28 per square meter of the built-up area/plot area, whichever is larger.
INR 36,417
2. Receive site inspection from the Building Proposal Office of the BMC (Municipal) - 1 day - no cost!
A sub-engineer from the BPO will conduct a site inspection within 3 to 4 days of receiving the file from the survey office. The date and time of the site inspection are arranged by the company’s architect.
The building company must be on-site when the inspection takes place.
3. Obtain "intimation of disapproval" (building permit) from the BPO and pay fees (Municipal) -60days
a) After the site inspection, the application file returns to the BPO to receive an intimation of disapproval (authorization). The concerned sub engineer scrutinizes the proposal and
b) forwards the report to the assistant /executiive engineers. The proposal is approved at the executive engineer’s level if no concessions are involved. There are 3 executive engineers in the main BMC office and 2 in the Andheri office (the latter is the office considered for the purposes of this study).
Complete applications that do not require concessions (i.e., claiming of areas free of FSI as per provision in DCR 1991, deficiency in open spaces etc.) can be approved within a week. However, a majority of applications require some concessions and further scrutiny so must be forwarded to the competent authorities. This latter process may take 30 – 90 days to complete.
c) The intimation of disapproval is issued with a list of "no-objection certicates" (NOCs) which the applicant must obtain separately from various departments and government authorities.
Final clearance to build will only be given once the company obtains all NOCs. The NOCs assigned to the intimation of disapproval are case specific. For the purpose of this study, Doing Business has determined 7 basic NOCs that are required for almost all projects:
1. Tree Authority;
2. Storm Water and Drain Department;
3. Sewerage Department;
4. Hydralic Department;
5. Environmental Department (concerned with debris management);
6. Traffic and Coordination Department;
7. CFO (fire clearance).
The company’s architect must take the Intimation of Disapproval and the design plans to each clearance office separately. NOCs can be applied for simultaneously, but NOC offices are spread out, so the submission for these 7 NOCs is likely to take some time.
The cost for this procedure is INR 1 per square meter for Intimation of Disapproval + INR 2 per square meter (or a maximum of INR 45,000) as a deposit for debris clearance. The latter is returned after the completion of construction if the BMC has deemed all debris cleared.
INR 1,301 (intimation of disapproval fee 1 INR per square meter + 2 INR per square meter (or a maximum of INR 45,000) as a refundable deposit for debris clearance)
4 Submit structural plans approved by a structural engineer to the BMC (Municipal) - 1 day - No cost!
The Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) is only an approval of the civil plans.
Review of the structural plans is done in parallel with the NOC process.
No approval to this plan is required from the Municipal Corporation but copies are required to be submitted.
* 5 Apply for a "no-objection certificate" NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal) - No cost
Due to stringent environmental regulations, clearance from the Tree Authority set up under the Maharashtra (urban areas) Preservation of Trees Act (1975)is a must. The Tree Authority must ascertain what trees (if any) will be cut down as a result of construction. If trees are to be cut down, the building company will have to plant trees to replace them. Unfortunately the Tree Authority Commission only meets once a month.
* 6 Receive inspection from the Tree Authority (Municipal)
Inspectors from the Tree Authority visit the site to check if there are any trees located on the premises.
* 7 Finally Obtain the NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal) - 30 days Rs 4500/-
* 8 Request and obtain a NOC from the Storm Water and Drain Department (Municipal) -7 day
* 9. Request and obtain a NOC from the Sewerage Department (Municipal) -7 days
INR 77,306 (pro-rata charges are recovered at the rate 25% of INR23,250/- per running meter + 33% contingencies, supervision, sewerage charges etc., if the plot is abutting D. P. Road)
* 10 Request and obtain a NOC from the Electric Department (Municipal) - 7 days
Inform BEST of the project's power requirements along with a copy of application submitted for building plan approval. BEST will assess whether an electrical sub-station up-grade is required at this stage.
* 11 Request and obtain a NOC from the Environmental Department (Municipal) - 7 days
* 12 Request and obtain a NOC from the Traffic and Coordination Department (Municipal) -7days
* 13. Request and obtain a NOC from the Chief Fire Officer (Municipal) - 7 days, Rs 10sq mtr
All commercial structures require fire-safety clearance.
14. Finally we can start !!
Obtain commencement certificate from the BPO and pay development charges (Municipal) - 10 days
On submission of all required NOCs mentioned in the IOD and on compliance of the IOD conditions, the applicant may submit request for the commencement certificate (CC).
The documents and NOCs submitted by the applicants are verified by the staff and the necessary commencement certificate is approved.
After payment of development charges and other applicable premium the commencement certificate is issued within 7 to 15 days. The cost for the CC is INR 200 per square meter of land + INR 500 per square meter of building area.
15. Request and receive inspection of plinth (Municipal) - 1 day
16 - Submit completion notice to obtain occupancy certificate and certificate of completion (Municipal)
The company's architect must submit a formal letter stating that construction has been completed according to the standards set forth in the IOD and CC.
Rechecking now begins ...
* 17 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Tree Authority (Municipal)
* 18 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Storm Water and Drain Department (Municipal)
* 19 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Sewerage Department (Municipal)
* 20 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Electric Department (Municipal)
* 21 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Environmental Department (Municipal)
* 22 Request and obtain a completion NOC from the Traffic and Coordination Department (Municipal)
* 23 Request and obtain a completion from the Chief Fire Officer (Municipal)
All commercial structures require a fire-safety clearance according to fire and safety rules and regulations stipulated in the Development Control Rule (1991) and the National Building Code.
The fee for low-rise commercial buildings is INR 5 per square foot.
24 Request and receive completion inspection from the BMC (Municipal)
25 Obtain occupancy certificate from the BMC (Municipal)
The occupancy certificate allows the building company to occupy the building
but is not considered a final document because the building company still requires the certificate of completion.
26 Obtain completion certificate from the BMC (Municipal)
The completion certificate is considered to be the ultimate document that the building company requires to fully occupy the building and connect it to utilities.
If you thought it was over...not yet !!
27 Apply for permanent water connection at Water Supply Department of the BMC (Municipal)
The building company must apply for the permanent water connection at the nearest Citizen Facilitation Center (CFC) established by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and submit Form A along with the following documents: a. Copy of valid IOD; b. Set of approved plan (certified copy); c. Appointment letter of the licensed plumber;
d. Estimated cost of construction; e. Paid bills of all existing CCMS; f. Completion certificate; g. Tanker water bills.
* 28. Receive on-site inspection for connection to water by the Water Supply Department (Municipal)
The assistant engineer of the Municipal Corporation makes the inspection. There are two inspections: one before the water connection is completed, and another after completion.
29. Obtain permanent water connection (with inspection) (Municipal)
* 30. Apply for permanent sewerage connection at Sewerage Department of BMC (Municipal)
An application is made to the Municipal Corporation for approval of permanent sewerage connection.
* 31. Receive on-site inspection for connection to sewage by Sewerage Department (Municipal)
32. Obtain permanent sewerage connection (Municipal)
* 33. Apply for permanent power connection and pay fees at BEST (Municipal)
The building company submits the form along with a registration fee of INR 50.
Within one week (statutory time limit), an inspection takes place to verify if the structure is permanent and to account for the number of connections required, etc. Within a week, a requirement letter from BEST authorities is mailed to the applicant. This letter lists the documents and payment to obtain a power connection: a. Proof of ownership; b. Availability of meter space, c. "Test report" by licensed electrical engineer; d. Payment of necessary fees.
* 34. Receive on-site inspection from BEST (Municipal)
A licensed electrical engineer employed by the building company must assess the internal wiring. On gathering these documents, the building company must return to the zonal office and submit them along with payment. After this, connection is given within a month's time in a majority of cases.
Long delays are often due to cable laying. If cable laying is done through private land, than the owner must get permission from them and give it to BEST. But if the underground cabling is done through government land, BEST must get permission from the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), and said permission takes some time to be granted. Also BMC only gives permission for underground cabling, during the dry season (April to October).
35. Obtain electricity connection upon payment of final fees (Municipal)
* 36. Apply for permanent phone connection at MTNL (National)
The building company must apply for the telephone connection at the local BSNL/ MTNL office. To obtain a commercial connection, the building company must submit the application along with a proof of ownership of the business the Permanent Account Number (PAN) cardand the tarrif rate.
37. Receive on-site inspection and connection to telephone by the utility provider (Natinal)
There are other permissions as well - like the LIFT (elevator) inspector coming over etc..
( information gathered from local sources & from www.doingbusiness.org)