On August 27, 2024, the Town and Country Planning Department of Himachal Pradesh published a notification regarding proposed amendments to the Town and Country Planning Rules, 2014. The proposed changes will be formally called the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning (Twelfth Amendment) Rules, 2024
Key Highlights of the Notification
Proposed Amendments to Rule 16
One of the most significant updates pertains to Rule 16, which deals with application fees for various planning permissions. Below are the detailed changes:
Fee Structure for Applications
The amended Rule 16 introduces a comprehensive fee structure for different types of applications based on whether they are within municipal corporation limits or outside these limits. The table below summarizes the proposed fees:
| Sl. No. | Component | Unit | Municipal Corporation Limits | Outside Municipal Corporation Limits |
| Residential Use (Rs.) | Other than Residential Use (Rs.) | |||
| 1 | Fee for Building Permission/Action/Revision | M² (Built-up Area) | 40.00 | 80.00 |
| 2 | Fee for Addition/Alteration/Revalidation | M² (Built-up Area) | 30.00 | 60.00 |
| 3 | Fee for Approval of Sub-division of Land | M² (Plot Area) | 30.00 | 60.00 |
| 4 | Fee for Change of Land Use | M² (Plot Area) | 50.00 | 100.00 |
| 5 | Fee for Change of Existing Building Use | M² (Built-up Area) | 40.00 | 80.00 |
Important Notes on Fee Structure
- Urban Local Bodies: Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats will charge fees at 90% and 80% of the prescribed rates, respectively.
- Special Area Development Authorities (SADAs): SADAs may set their fees, provided they are not less than those charged by Municipal Corporations. Tribal SADAs will levy fees at 60% of the standard rates, while other SADAs will charge 80%.
- Proximity to Highways: For plots within 100 meters of control lines of 4-lane National Highways, other National Highways, and State Highways, fees will be increased to 150%, 130%, and 120%, respectively.
- Exemptions:
- Applications for residential use with a plot area of up to 100 m² will be exempt from fees.
- No fees will be charged from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and applicants for Social Housing Schemes for plot areas up to 100 m². This exemption is limited to one per family.
New Sub-Rule for Essentiality Certificate
A notable addition is the new sub-rule 4 regarding fees for the Essentiality Certificate under the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972. The proposed fees are as follows:
| Sl. No. | Plot Area (m²) | Fees (Rs.) |
| 1 | Up to 2500 | 25,000 |
| 2 | Above 2500 to 10,000 | 50,000 |
| 3 | Above 10,000 | 1,00,000 |
Public Feedback Period
The notification invites public feedback, allowing anyone likely to be affected by these amendments to submit objections or suggestions in writing to the Principal Secretary (TCP), Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, within 30 days from the date of publication. (September 26th 2024)
