Andhra Pradesh Government issues revised guidelines for building permissions under self-certification scheme -OxBig News Network

In a significant step towards streamlining and accelerating construction activity, the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) on Sunday (July 13, 2025) released Revised Guidelines for Building Permissions under Self-Certification Scheme (SCS) – 2025.

The SCS is aimed at ‘revolutionising building permissions’ for enhanced Ease and Speed of Doing Business, and boosting the real estate sector, Principal Secretary (Municipal Administration & Urban Development) S. Suresh Kumar stated in G.O. Ms No.120. 

He mentioned that the core objectives of the SCS 2025 include making the building environment safe, inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and contributing to economic development by enhancing the Ease of Doing Business and cultivating an investment-friendly environment. 

SCS 2025 facilitates a reduction of compliance burden and deregulation in alignment with efforts being made to avail incentives under the Central Government’s Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26. The revised guidelines would be integrated as Chapter–XIV with the existing Andhra Pradesh Building Rules of 2017.

A fundamental aspect of the SCS is the proactive delegation of enforcement power and responsibilities (with regard to the building permissions) directly to Licensed Technical Persons (LTPs) and citizens on a trust basis. The Online Building Permission System (OBPS) envisioned in the SCS is equipped to scrutinize applications and issue building permission proceedings instantaneously on payment of necessary fees and charges on a trust basis.

Mr. Suresh Kumar stated that the applicants would be free to begin constructions immediately upon obtaining permissions through OBPS. Another highlight of the SCS is that supervisory checks of self-certified buildings by Town Planning functionaries is being dispensed with. 

All building plan applications along with essential documents, fees, and mortgage details, have to be submitted through the OBPS by an LTP. A self-certification proforma has to be signed by both the applicant and the LTP, affirming the authenticity and accuracy of all submitted information and documents.

The G.O. says that in the initial phase, the SCS will be applicable to non-high rise residential building plan permissions for plot areas of up to 4,000 square metres, including plots in approved layouts, layouts regularised under the Land Regularisation Schemes of 2008 and 2020, village sites and ‘gramakantam’, areas with approved circulation patterns, and redevelopment of existing buildings with prior approved plans or the ones existing before 1985.

The scheme also covers the establishment of white category industries defined by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board provided the site area is up to 500 square metres. 

The revised guidelines under SCS are applicable to all Urban Local Bodies and Gram Panchayats within the jurisdiction of Urban Development Authorities including APCRDA (excluding the capital city area) for sites measuring 300 square metres or above. 

The building owners have to bear the sole responsibility for adhering to the approved building plan throughout the construction process while the LTPs are mandated to ensure that no misrepresentation of documents or facts occurs and that all plans comply with the master plan and zoning regulations concerned and the Andhra Pradesh Building Rules, 2017.