VIJAYAWADA: The government has introduced sweeping amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Building Rules, 2017, to accelerate construction activity, simplify approvals and attract investments in the housing, real estate and commercial sectors.
Issued through GO-Ms-161 by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, the reforms are aligned with the chief minister’s Swarna Andhra@2047 vision of transparent, technology-driven governance and sustainable urban development. The amendments were framed in line with the Centre’s deregulation cell guidelines after consultations with urban local bodies, development authorities and the public.
Under the revised rules, buildings measuring 24 metres or more, including the stilt floor, will be classified as high-rises, while creches and places of public worship have been formally recognised.
Structural designs for buildings above 10 metres must be certified by qualified engineers after assessing soil-bearing capacity, and developers must obtain an All Risks Insurance Policy during construction.
To ease the financial burden on developers, the government has permitted payment of the City-Level Infrastructure Impact Fee in six equal instalments over three years. Expired building permissions can also be revalidated under a defined framework, while non-commercial places of public worship have been exempted from building permit fees.
A major reform is the introduction of phased fire clearances for high-rise projects. Construction can begin up to 24 metres before submission of the Fire No Objection Certificate, which will be mandatory for work beyond that height. Authorities said the move would reduce delays without compromising safety.
The amendments also rationalise setback norms, road-width requirements and parking standards. Dedicated parking floors will not be counted for setback calculations, though they will remain subject to statutory safety clearances. Limited transfer of setbacks, balcony projections and wider use of Transferable Development Rights have also been permitted under prescribed conditions.
To promote sustainable urban development, EV charging infrastructure has been made mandatory in all new commercial complexes, housing societies and townships with a built-up area of 5,000 square metres or more. Group housing projects with 100 or more units must provide common amenities, including creches, clubhouses, shopping facilities and gyms, while high-rise buildings may include Environmental Deck Floors and service floors.
Municipal administration minister Ponguru Narayana said the reforms would remove avoidable delays while retaining critical safety safeguards. Principal secretary Suresh Kumar said the risk-based regulatory framework, backed by digital processing and stronger enforcement, would ensure faster approvals and greater certainty for citizens, architects, developers and investors.
Under the revised rules, buildings measuring 24 metres or more, including the stilt floor, will be classified as high-rises, while creches and places of public worship have been formally recognised.
Structural designs for buildings above 10 metres must be certified by qualified engineers after assessing soil-bearing capacity, and developers must obtain an All Risks Insurance Policy during construction.
To ease the financial burden on developers, the government has permitted payment of the City-Level Infrastructure Impact Fee in six equal instalments over three years. Expired building permissions can also be revalidated under a defined framework, while non-commercial places of public worship have been exempted from building permit fees.
A major reform is the introduction of phased fire clearances for high-rise projects. Construction can begin up to 24 metres before submission of the Fire No Objection Certificate, which will be mandatory for work beyond that height. Authorities said the move would reduce delays without compromising safety.
The amendments also rationalise setback norms, road-width requirements and parking standards. Dedicated parking floors will not be counted for setback calculations, though they will remain subject to statutory safety clearances. Limited transfer of setbacks, balcony projections and wider use of Transferable Development Rights have also been permitted under prescribed conditions.
To promote sustainable urban development, EV charging infrastructure has been made mandatory in all new commercial complexes, housing societies and townships with a built-up area of 5,000 square metres or more. Group housing projects with 100 or more units must provide common amenities, including creches, clubhouses, shopping facilities and gyms, while high-rise buildings may include Environmental Deck Floors and service floors.
Municipal administration minister Ponguru Narayana said the reforms would remove avoidable delays while retaining critical safety safeguards. Principal secretary Suresh Kumar said the risk-based regulatory framework, backed by digital processing and stronger enforcement, would ensure faster approvals and greater certainty for citizens, architects, developers and investors.