Kerala · 2016 · Act 9
The Kerala Town and Country Planning Act 2016
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This Act is not split into sections here yet, so this is the full text read from its official PDF. Older scans can carry reading errors: check the PDF before you quote it, and for tables and schedules.
[Translation in English of “2016-ലലെ കകേരള നഗര-ഗഗ്രാമഗ്രാസൂത്രണ ആകക”
published under the authority of the Governor.]
ACT 9 OF 2016
THE KERALA TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT, 2016
*
AN
ACT
to provide for the promotion of planned development and regulation of growth of urban and rural
areas in the State with focus on scientific spatial planning and to secure to their
present and future inhabitants, sanitary conditions, amenity and convenience and for
other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Preamble.—WHEREAS, it is expedient to provide for the promotion of planned development
and regulation of growth of urban and rural areas in the State with focus on scientific spatial
planning and to secure to their present and future inhabitants, sanitary conditions, amenity and
convenience and for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto;
BE it enacted in the Sixty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Kerala Town and
Country Planning Act, 2016.
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 23rd day of September, 2013.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “accommodation reservation” means a permission to the owner of the land, which is
required for public amenities in any plan prepared under this Act, to use the potential of a plot in the
form of built-up space guided by Floor Area Ratio, in addition to the area required for the
amenities, in lieu of the cost of the land and the built-up space of such amenity, to be transferred to
the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as the
case may be;
(b) “amenities” include roads, open spaces, parks, recreational grounds, play grounds,
water supply, supply of cooking gas, power supply, street lighting, sewerage, drainage, public
facilities and other utilities, services and conveniences;
* Received the assent of the Governor on the 17th day of March, 2016 and published in the Kerala Gazette
Extraordinary No. 645 dated 17th March, 2016.
1[(ba) “Annual Plan” means socio-economic plan prepared by the State or Local Self
Government Institutions for implementing schemes and projects within a fixed financial
year, in accordance with development priorities of the State;]
(c) “building” means any structure, for whatsoever purpose and of whatsoever
material constructed and every part thereof whether used for human habitation or not and
includes foundations, plinth, walls, floors, roofs, chimneys, plumbing and building services,
verandah, balcony, cornice or projections, part of building or anything affixed thereto or any
wall enclosing or intended to enclose any land or space and signs and outdoor display
structures;
(d) “building operation” includes,—
(i) erection or re-erection of a building or any part of it;
(ii) roofing or re-roofing of any part of a building or open space;
(iii) any material alteration or enlargement of any building; and
(iv) any such alteration of a building as is likely to affect its security or an
alteration of its drainage or sanitary arrangements;
(e) “Chief Town Planner” means an officer with prescribed qualification in Town
and Country Planning in the 2 [ Local Self Government Department (Planning)] appointed
by the Government;
(f) “compulsory acquisition” means acquisition of land as earmarked for
compulsory acquisition in the Plans under this Act;
(g) “Detailed Town Planning Scheme” means a comprehensive plan for a particular
area within the local planning area, conceived within the framework of the Master Plan, if
any, for the local planning area, providing detailed proposals for spatial development of such
particular area indicating the manner in which the use of land and development therein shall
be carried out;
3[(h) “development” means in a wider perspective, the social, economic and
sustainable development of an area in total, and includes various aspects of development
relating to land or space and shall specifically include sub division of any land, construction
of the building, engineering, mining or other activities in, on, over or under the land, or
making of any physical change in any building or land, or any change in the use of any
building or land;]
4[(ha) “disaster” means a disaster as defined in the Disaster Management Act, 2005
(Central Act 53 of 2005);]
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(i) “District Planning Committee” means the Committee constituted by the
Government for a district under Section 53 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of
1994), to prepare a draft development plan for the district as a whole and to exercise such
other functions assigned to it by the Government;
1[(j) “Five Year Plan” means an economic plan prepared by the State or Local Self
Governments to achieve the goals and objectives like growth, development, employment,
self-reliance, and social justice for a period of five years or for a period as decided by the
Government from, time to time;]
(k) “floor area ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the total floor area on
all floors by the area of the plot;
(l) “Government” means the Government of Kerala;
(m) “industry” means an industry as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
(Central Act 14 of 1947);
(n) “joint planning area” means an area declared to be a Joint Planning Area under
Section 40 of this Ordinance;
2[(na) “land” includes benefits arising out of land, and things attached to the earth or
permanently fastened to anything attached to the earth and shall also include, but not limited
to, water bodies, forest, mangroves, wetland and the like;]
(o) “land pooling” means assembling of small land parcels into a large land parcel
providing it with infrastructure in a planned manner and returning the re-constituted land to
the owners, after deducting the cost of the provision of infrastructure and public spaces by
the sale of some land or otherwise where infrastructure is provided;
(p) “local planning area” means the area under the jurisdiction of a Municipal
Corporation, a Municipal Council or a Town Panchayat constituted under Section 4 of the
Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994), or of a Village Panchayat constituted under
Section 4 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994);
(q) “Local Self Government Institution” means a Panchayat constituted under
Section 4 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994) or a Municipality constituted
under Section 4 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994);
(r) “master plan” means a comprehensive plan for a local planning area covering
the whole area or part thereof or a joint planning area, as the case may be, conceived within
the framework of the 3[spatial perspective plan], if any, providing long-term policies,
programmes and detailed proposals for spatial development of such area indicating the
manner in which the use of land and development therein shall be carried out 4[and the said
plan shall be in force for a period of fifteen years;]
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(s) “metropolitan area” means an area notified by the Governor under clause (c) of
Article 243P of the Constitution of India to be a Metropolitan Area;
(t) “Metropolitan Planning Committee” means the Committee constituted by the
Government for a Metropolitan area, under Section 54 of the Kerala Municipality Act,
1994, to prepare a draft development plan for the Metropolitan area as a whole, and to
exercise such other functions assigned to it by the Government;
1[(ta) “mitigation” means mitigation as defined in the Disaster Management Act,
2005 (Central Act 53 of 2005) in force in the State;]
(u) “natural hazard prone area” means an area likely to have moderate to very high
damage risk of earthquakes or cyclones, significant flood flow or inundation, land slide
potential or proneness, sea erosion, wild fire or one or more of similar hazards;
(v) “occupier” includes,—
(i) any person who, for the time being, is paying or is liable to pay to the
owner the rent or any portion of the rent of the land or building;
(ii) any owner in occupation of, or otherwise using his land or building;
(iii) a tenant of any land or building who does not pay any rent;
(iv) a licensee in occupation of any land or building; and
(v) any person who is liable to pay to the owner, charges for the use and
occupation of any land or building;
(w) “operational construction” means any construction whether temporary or
permanent, which is necessary for the operation, maintenance, development or
execution of any of the following services, namely:—
(i) railways;
(ii) national highways;
(iii) State highways;
(iv) national waterways;
(v) major ports;
(vi) airports and aerodromes;
(vii) posts, telephones, wireless, broadcasting and other like forms of
communication;
(viii) regional grid for electricity;
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(ix) roads, bridges and street furniture by Central and State Government; and
(x) any other service which the Government may, if it is of the opinion that
the operation, maintenance, development or execution of such service is essential to the life of
the community, by notification, declare to be a service for the purposes of this Act, but
shall not include the construction of a building, structure, installation or any extension
thereof, as the case may be, used for residential, commercial, public and semi-public,
industrial and warehousing purposes;
(x) “owner” includes a person who for the time being is receiving or entitled to
receive, or has received, the rent or premium for any land whether on his own account or on
account of, or on behalf of, or for the benefit of any other person or as an agent, trustee,
guardian or receiver for any other person or for any religious or charitable institution, or who
would so receive the rent or premium or be entitled to receive the rent or premium if the land
was let to a tenant;
1[(xa) “Perspective Plan” means, for the purpose of this Act, a long term plan
approximately for a period of twenty years providing the goals, policies and strategies for the
economic and spatial development of the State, District or a Metropolitan area, as the case
may be;]
(y) “2[spatial perspective plan]” means a long-term plan approximately for a period
of twenty years providing goals, policies, strategies and general programmes for spatial
development of the State, District or a Metropolitan area, as the case may be;
(z) “plan” means a comprehensive document providing long-term policies,
programmes or detailed proposals for spatial development of a particular area, indicating the
manner in which the use of the land and development therein shall be carried out, which shall
also contain maps and reports to support, as may be prescribed and includes a 3 [ spatial
perspective plan] for the State, a 4[spatial perspective plan] for a District, a 5[spatial
perspective plan] for a Metropolitan Area, a Master Plan for a local planning area or part
thereof, a master plan for a joint planning area 6[, spatial plan for special area] and a Detailed
Town Planning Scheme for any particular area within the local planning area, prepared under
this Act unless otherwise specified in this Act;
(aa) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
7[(aaa) “priority action plan” means an action plan prepared within the framework of a
plan prepared in accordance with this Act for a district, metropolitan area, local planning area,
or a special area, as the case may be, indicating priorities and programmes for the spatial
development of said area, and it shall form part of the respective plan;
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(aab) “published plan” means a plan published, in accordance with the provisions of
this Act and rules made thereunder, inviting objections and suggestions to be received within
the prescribed time limit;]
(ab) “residence” means the use for human habitation of any building and
appurtenant land or part thereof and includes gardens, grounds, garages, stables and out
houses, if any, appertaining to such building;
1[(aba) “sanctioned plan” means a plan published in accordance with the provisions
of this Act and rules made thereunder, and sanctioned after incorporating suitable
modifications, taking into consideration of the objections and suggestions if any;]
(ac) “spatial planning” means a scientific discipline adopted for town and country
planning, with a comprehensive approach, for the physical organisation of space according to
an overall strategy, directed towards promoting sustainable and inclusive development of
urban and rural areas providing geographical expression to developmental, economic, social,
cultural, environmental and ecological policies of society;
2[(aca) “Special Area” means an area, identified by the State or a Municipal
Corporation or a Municipal Council constituted under section 4 of the Kerala Municipality
Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) or a Town Panchayat or a Village Panchayat constituted under section
4 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994) which needs immediate planning in the
backdrop of disaster, environmental vulnerability, heritage conservation, urgent infrastructure
development as directed by Government and such special area shall come under the
jurisdiction of one or more Local Self Government Institutions;
(acb) “Spatial plan for a Special Area” means a plan prepared for a Special Area
providing the policies, programmes and detailed proposals for spatial development of such
area, and indicating the manner in which the use of land and developments therein shall be
carried out;
(acc) “State Development Council” means the State Development Council
constituted under section 55 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994);
(acd) “State Planning Board” means the advisory board constituted under the
Government, to enable the Government to formulate development plans based on scientific
assessment of the resources of the State and growth priorities, and to facilitate planning and
implementation of development schemes or projects in the State, as the case may be.]
(ad) “transferable development right” means a development right to transfer the
potential of a plot designated for a public purpose in a plan under this Act, expressed in terms
of total permissible built-up space calculated on the basis of floor area ratio allowable for that
plot, for utilisation by the owner himself or by way of transfer by him to someone else from
the present location to a specified area in the plan as additional built-up space over and above
the permissible limit in lieu of compensation for the surrender of the concerned plot free from
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
all encumbrances to the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat, as the case may be.
CHAPTER II
1[STATE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE
SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR THE STATE]
2[3. Constitution of the State Town and Country Planning Committee.—(1) As soon as
may be, after the commencement of this Act, the Government may, by notification in the
Gazette, constitute and appoint the State Town and Country Planning Committee for the
purpose of carrying out the functions assigned to it under this Act.
(2) The State Town and Country Planning Committee shall consist of a Chairperson,
a Vice-Chairperson and other eighteen members as specified in sub-section (4).
(3) The Minister for Local Self Government Department, in the State, shall be the
Chairperson of the State Town and Country Planning Committee, and the Vice-Chairperson of
the State Planning Board shall be the Vice-Chairperson of the said Committee.
(4) The other members of the State Town and Country Planning Committee shall be
the following, namely:—
(a) the Principal Secretary to Government, Local Self Government
Department;
(b) the Secretaries of the Departments of Revenue, Finance, Agriculture,
Planning and Economic Affairs, Environment, Public Works, Transport, Forest and Wildlife,
Power and Water Resources;
(c) the Member of the State Planning Board in charge of Decentralised Planning;
(d) the Chief Town Planner;
(e) the Land Revenue Commissioner;
(f) the Chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board; and
(g) three non-official members, as nominated by the Government, of whom one
person shall be an expert qualified in Town and Country Planning and the other two persons
shall, in the opinion of the Government, possess special knowledge or practical experience in
matters relating to transportation, agriculture, economics or environment.
(5) The Principal Secretary to Government, Local Self Government Department in
the State shall be the ex-officio Member Secretary of the State Town and Country Planning
Committee and the Chief Town Planner shall be its Joint Secretary.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(6) The following persons may be invited to the meetings of the State Town and
Country Planning Committee as special invitees, as and when their presence is required at
those meetings, namely:—
(a) representatives of the Ministries of the Central Government, in-charge of
Railways, Civil Aviation, Shipping, Defence, Transport and Communications, Environment
and Forest, Urban Development, Rural Development, etc.;
(b) Secretaries to Government Departments other than those mentioned in clause
(b) of sub-section (4);
(c) the Chairperson of the Kerala Regional Chapter Institute of Town
Planners, India;
(d) the Chairpersons of the District Planning Committee, the Metropolitan
Planning Committee, Local Self Government Institution and the Development Authority
concerned; and
(e) any other experts, officials, representatives of organizations and the like,
with whom the State Town and Country Planning Committee desires to consult.]
4. Powers and functions of the 1 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee].—
The 2 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall,—
(a) advise the Government on matters relating to policy formulation for spatial
planning, development and use of rural and urban land in the State;
(b) guide and advise the District Planning Committees and the Metropolitan Planning
Committees if any, on matters relating to spatial planning and development of their
respective areas;
(c) co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate the spatial planning and development activities
under various Government Departments, quasi- Government agencies and Local Self
Government Institutions, in the context of the 3 [ spatial Perspective Plan] for the State
and other Plans under this Act;
(d) prepare or get prepared the 4[spatial perspective plan] for the State under this
Act;
(e) prepare or get prepared plans for any area within the State falling in more than
one district;
(f) evaluate and review the 5[development activities] made by various Local Self
Government Institutions, in the context of implementation of the Plans prepared under this
Act, based on the consolidated reports forwarded by the District Planning Committees, the
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Metropolitan Planning Committees and the Development Authorities and submit reports
thereon to the Government;
(g) advise the Government on,—
(i) resolving issues, if any, pertaining to inter-district spatial planning and
infrastructure development;
(ii) identification of probable location of major investment inputs which are
likely to have substantial impact on the development scenario of the State; and
(h) perform such other functions as may be prescribed.
5. 1[Sub committees] to be constituted by the 2 [ State Town and Country Planning
Committee].—(1) For the purpose of assisting the 3 [State Town and Country Planning
Committee] in exercising any of its powers or performing any of its functions as may be
specified by it, the 4[State Town and Country Planning Committee] may constitute
temporarily one or more 5 [ sub committees].
(2) Any 6[sub committee] constituted under sub-section (1) shall consist of such
members as may be specified by the 7[State Town and Country Planning Committee] and
shall also include the Chief Town Planner or an officer authorised by him.
(3) The 8[State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall have the power to co-
opt any person who is not a member of the 9[State Town and Country Planning Committee] as
a member of any 10[ sub committee] constituted under sub-section (1), as may be deemed
necessary.
6. Term of office and conditions of service of the non-official members of the 11[State
Town and Country Planning Committee].—(1) The term of office, conditions of service,
allowances and sitting fees payable to the non-official members of the 12[State Town and
Country Planning Committee] shall be such as may be prescribed.
(2) A non-official member of the 13[State Town and Country Planning Committee]
appointed under this Act may resign the membership of the 14[State Town and Country
Planning Committee] by giving a notice 15[xxxx] in writing to the Government and on
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
11. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
12. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
13. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
14. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
15. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
such resignation being accepted by the Government, that person shall cease to be a member of
the 1[State Town and Country Planning Committee]. A non-official member may be removed
from office by the Government following the procedure laid down in Section 95.
7. Meetings of the 2[State Town and Country Planning Committee].—(1) The 3[State
Town and Country Planning Committee] shall meet at such times and places, not less than
twice in a calendar year and shall observe such procedure as may be prescribed in regard to
the transaction of its business at such meetings, including quorum of the meeting.
(2) The Chairperson or in the absence of the Chairperson, 4[the Vice-Chairperson] or
in their absence, any member chosen by the members present from among themselves, shall
preside at a meeting of the 5 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee].
6[8. Matters that may be dealt within the Spatial Perspective Plan for the State.— (1)
The Spatial Perspective Plan for the State shall contain,—
(a) integrated vision for the spatial development of the State;
(b) strategies and policies for spatial development approximately for a period of
twenty years.
(2) The Spatial Perspective Plan for the State shall, inter alia, deal with all or any
of the following matters, namely:—
(a) physical and natural resource potentials and their utilisation;
(b) urbanisation, population assignment, settlement pattern of urban centres and
rural centres with their hierarchy and functional specialisation;
(c) national and state level transportation network;
(d) infrastructure development;
(e) generalized land utilization;
(f) natural hazard prone areas;
(g) protection of environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas;
(h) conservation of national and state level heritage areas;
(i) spatial dimensions of the following sectors, namely:—
(i) development of trade, commerce and industries;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(ii) agriculture and rural development;
(j) any other particulars and details, as may be deemed necessary for ensuring
spatial planning of the State and as may be directed, by the Government.]
9. Procedure for preparation, publication and sanctioning of 1[spatial perspective
plan] for the State.—(1) The 2 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall, with
the advice of the Chief Town Planner and in consultation with the District Planning
Committees, the Metropolitan Planning Committees, if any, the Government
Departments, quasi-Government agencies concerned, and considering the Plans prepared
under this Ordinance and inputs if any, from the Local Self Government Institutions
prepare or get prepared and publish the draft 3[spatial perspective plan] for the State within
two years from the date of constitution of the 4 [State Town and Country Planning
Committee].
(2) The 5 [ spatial perspective plan] for the State shall be prepared taking into
account various regions in the State for achieving balanced and sustainable spatial
development and shall specify phasing of the implementation of the Plan in periods of
five years preferably to be co-terminus with the Five Year Plans.
(3) The draft of the 6[spatial perspective plan] for the State shall be published in the
website of the technical secretariat of the 7[State Town and Country Planning Committee] and
the notice of the publication shall be notified in the Official Gazette in the prescribed manner
and in at least two newspapers having wide circulation in the State, of which one must be in
the regional language, specifying the place or places where a copy of the draft 8 [ spatial
perspective plan] for the State may be inspected, and also inviting objections and suggestions
to be filed within a period of 9[ninety] days from the date of publication of the notice in the
Official Gazette. The 10[State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall also forward a
copy of the draft 11[spatial perspective plan] for the State to the District Planning Committees
and the Metropolitan Planning Committees, if any, which in turn shall forward relevant
extracts thereof to the Local Self Government Institutions within their jurisdiction for
information.
(4) The 12[State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall consider all such
objections and suggestions and modify, if necessary, the draft 13[spatial perspective plan] for
the State, within sixty days from the time limit prescribed for receiving objections and
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
11. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
12. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
13. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
suggestions, and the draft 1 [ spatial perspective plan] for the State, as approved by the
2 [State Town and Country Planning Committee], 3 [ shall be forwarded to the State
Development Council and the said fact shall be informed to the Government.]
4[(4A) The State Development Council shall consider the draft Spatial Perspective
Plan for the State, and forward the same to the Government for sanction, with suggestions for
modifications, if any, as soon as may, within sixty days from the date of its receipt.]
(5) The Government shall consider the draft 5[spatial perspective plan] for the State
and sanction the same with or without modifications, within sixty days from the date of its
receipt, and the fact of sanction by the Government of the 6[spatial perspective plan] for the
State shall be notified in the notice board of the technical secretariat of the 7[State Town and
Country Planning Committee], in the Official Gazette, and in at least 8[two newspapers (of
which one shall be in the regional language)], having wide circulation in the State stating the
place or places where a copy thereof shall be available for reference and for 9 [ sale and the
spatial perspective plan for the State as sanctioned by the Government shall also be published
in the official website of the Technical Secretariat of the State Town and Country Planning
Committee].
10[(5A) The Government shall forward the Spatial Perspective Plan for the State
sanctioned under sub-section (5), to the State Planning Board for incorporating the Plan
suitably in the State Perspective Plan, Five Year Plans and Annual Plans, or in any of them.]
(6) The Government shall have the power to extend the time limit prescribed in sub-
sections (3), (4), 11[(4A)] and (5) above up to a period not exceeding six months.
10. Officers and Staff of the 12[Local Self Government Department (Planning)].—(1)
There shall be a 13[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] with the Chief Town
Planner as the Head of the Department to advise and render technical assistance to the
Government on matters related to town and country planning.
(2) The Government shall appoint such officers and staff in the 14[Local Self
Government Department (Planning)] with such terms and conditions of service as may be
prescribed and the office of the Chief Town Planner shall function as the technical
secretariat of the 1 5 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee].
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
11. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
12. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
13. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
14. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
15. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
1[(3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Government shall, regulate the
classification, recruitment/method of appointment, conditions of service, pay and allowances,
discipline and conduct of officers and employees, in accordance with the rules made under the
Kerala Public Services Act, 1968 (Act 19 of 1968), and such rules may provide for the
constitution of Local Self Government common service, consisting of any class of officers
and employees of Local Self Government Department (Planning) and Government servants in
any other services either for the whole State or for each district.
Explanation:—For the purpose of this sub-section, “Government servants in any other
services” means Government servants in the services under Panchayat, Municipality and in
the services of Rural Development and Local Self Government Engineering Division in the
State.]
11. Functions of the Chief Town Planner.—The duties and functions of the Chief
Town Planner shall include the following, namely:—
(a) advise and render technical assistance to the Government pertaining to 2[spatial
planning and development] in urban and rural areas in the State and implementation of
relevant State and Central Programmes pertaining to the same;
(b) advise and render technical assistance to the 3[State Town and Country Planning
Committee] in exercising the functions assigned to the 4[State Town and Country Planning
Committee] as specified in section 4;
(c) advise and render technical advice, guidance and support to the District Planning
Committees, the Metropolitan Planning Committees, the Development Authorities, the Joint
Planning Committees, the Municipal Corporations, the Municipal Councils, the Town
Panchayats and the Village Panchayats in exercising the functions assigned to them under
this Act;
(d) advise and render technical assistance to Government in scrutinizing various
Plans, prepared under this Act;
(e) prepare or get prepared Master Plans, 5[spatial Plans for special Area] and
Detailed Town Planning Schemes, in the event of default by a Joint Planning Committee,
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as the
case may be, and if so directed by the Government:
Provided that the Joint Planning Committee, Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall publish the plan so prepared
and get the same approved as per the procedure provided for in this Act, and the expenses in
connection with preparation of such plans shall be met by them;
1. Added by Act 15 of 2022 (w.e.f. 31.03.2022).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(f) provide or organise necessary research inputs and other studies for formulation
of policies, strategies, norms, standards, laws, rules, regulations and guidelines pertaining to
spatial planning and development in urban and rural areas in the State, either through in-house
facility and/or through outsourcing;
(g) provide and promote man-power training facilities relating to spatial planning;
(h) perform functions as the Ex-officio Member Secretary of the Kerala 1 [ Art and
Heritage] Commission as provided under Chapter XII of the Act; and
(i) perform any other function pertaining to spatial planning, as may appear 2[xxxx]
to be necessary, and as may be directed by the Government, from time to time.
CHAPTER III
3[DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE SPATIAL
PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT]
12. District Planning Area.—For the purposes of this Act, the area of a District in the
State, shall be deemed to be the District Planning Area.
13. 4[District Planning Committee and the Spatial Perspective Plan for the District].—
5[(1) The District Planning Committee constituted by the Government under section 53 of the
Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) shall prepare or get prepared, the Spatial
Perspective Plan for the district as a whole, which shall be the spatial component of the draft
Development Plan for the district envisaged under section 53 of the Kerala Municipality Act,
1994 (20 of 1994) and exercise such other functions as assigned to it under this Act.]
(2) The district level officer of the 6[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] of
the Government shall render necessary technical assistance to the District Planning
Committee in matters relating to Spatial Planning, and the district office of the 7[Local Self
Government Department (Planning)] shall function as the Spatial Planning Wing of the
District Planning Committee.
14. 8[Powers and functions of District Planning Committee in respect of spatial
planning].—(l) The District Planning Committee, for the purposes of this Act, shall formulate
development goals, objectives, policies and priorities in matters relating to planning,
development and use of rural and urban land in the district and shall have due regard to the
overall objectives and priorities set by the Government and the Government of India, all
Plans prepared under this Act which have relevance to the district concerned, matters of
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021(w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
common interest among the Local Self Government Institutions in the district, integrated
development of infrastructure, environmental conservation and spatial development.
(2) The District Planning Committee shall,—
1[(a) prepare or get prepared for the District as a whole, in consultation with the Local
Self Government Institutions in the district, the district level officer of the Local Self
Government Department (Planning) of the Government and district level officers of other
Government Departments and agencies in the district, a spatial Perspective Plan for the
district, taking into account the plans, if any, prepared by various Local Self Government
Institutions and any other plans prepared under this Act which have relevance to the district;]
2[(aa) Metropolitan Planning Committees, if any, having jurisdiction in any part of the
district shall be consulted while preparing Spatial Perspective Plan for the district;]
(b) consult non-governmental institutions, organizations, and professional bodies if
deemed necessary in the preparation of Plans for the district;
(c) monitor continuously and evaluate the physical achievements of the investments
made by the various Local Self Government Institutions and quasi-government agencies
within the district in the context of Plans prepared under this Act and submit a consolidated
report to the 3 [State Town and Country Planning Committee];
(d) co-ordinate planning and development activities among the Government
departments, Quasi-Government institutions within the district and/or otherwise in the
context of Plans under this Act;
(e) formulate policies and identify projects for integrated development of district
level infrastructure and facilitate their implementation through public, private or joint
sector participation and/or otherwise;
(f) Give necessary guidelines to the Local Self Government Institutions on
identification of probable location of major investment inputs which are likely to have
substantial impact on the development scenario of the district or State;
(g) resolve conflicts, if any, on the following, namely:—
(i) issues regarding development of peripheral areas of urban centres;
(ii) sharing of physical and natural resources among various Local Self
Government Institutions in the district;
(iii) sites for disposal of sewage and solid waste;
(iv) overlapping functions of various agencies involved in planning and
development; and
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(v) any other issue within the purview of the District Planning
Committee;
(h) perform any other incidental, supplemental or consequential function as may
be necessary and required for the purposes of carrying out its functions under this Act.
(3) For the purpose of assisting the District Planning Committee in exercising such of
its powers, discharging such of its duties or performing such of its functions under this Act,
the District Planning Committee may constitute one or more 1 [ sub committees]:
Provided that the District Planning Committee may also constitute working groups for
various sectors for giving guidance and support to the 2[sub] committees in the preparation of
3[spatial perspective plan] and execution plan.
4[15. Spatial Perspective plan for the district and the matters that may be dealt within the
Spatial Perspective Plan.—(1) The District Planning Committee constituted by the
Government under section 53 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) shall prepare
or get prepared the Spatial Perspective Plan for the District and it shall contain an integrated
vision, strategies and policies for the district on spatial development for a plan period of
approximately twenty years.
(2) The Spatial Perspective Plan for the District shall, inter alia, deal with all or some
of the following matters, namely:—
(a) physical and natural resource potentials and their utilisation;
(b) population assignment and settlement pattern including rural as well as urban
centres and their hierarchy and functional specialization;
(c) district level transportation system;
(d) generalized land utilisation pattern;
(e) housing and shelter development;
(f) conservation of environment, forests, ecologically sensitive areas and heritage
zones;
(g) integrated infrastructure development covering water, energy, sanitation,
education, health, recreation, communication and other utilities, facilities and services;
(h) development of specific areas, if any, such as tribal areas, coastal areas,
economically backward areas, areas for establishment of new towns, etc;
(i) situational analysis in respect of hazard, vulnerability, risk and proposals for
mitigation and resilience;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(j) spatial development aspects of various sectors, namely:—
(i) agriculture and rural development and allied sectors;
(ii) trade, commerce and industries;
(iii) tourism;
(iv) animal husbandry and fisheries;
(v) any other sector which is determinant in the spatial planning and
development of the District;
(k) mobilization of fiscal resources for Plan implementation; and
(l) any other particulars and details as may be considered necessary for ensuring
planned development of the State and as may be directed by the Government.
(3) Priority action plan, taking into account major schemes and projects envisaged in
the spatial perspective plan for the District and also the development priorities assigned by the
Central and State Governments, indicating phasing and prioritization of actions for the
implementation of short, medium and long term sectoral programmes, projects and schemes
or any other particulars, as may be considered necessary in respect of spatial development by
the District Planning Committee concerned.]
16. 1[xxxx]
17. Procedure for preparation, publication and sanctioning of 2[Spatial Perspective
Plan] for the district.—(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this Act, the
District Planning Committee shall take a decision 3 [ to prepare or get prepared] a 4 [S patial
Perspective Plan] for the district.
(2) The District Planning Committee shall, not later than two years from the date
of decision taken to prepare a 5 [ Spatial Perspective Plan] as per sub-section (1), prepare or
get prepared and shall publish, the draft 6[Spatial Perspective Plan] for the district in the
website and the notice of the publication shall be notified in the Official Gazette and in at
least two newspapers having wide circulation in the district, of which one must be in the
regional language, specifying the place or places where a copy of the draft 7[Spatial
Perspective Plan] for the district may be inspected, and also inviting objections and
suggestions to be filed within a period of sixty days from the date of publication of the notice
in the Official Gazette. The District Planning Committee shall forward a copy of the draft
8[Spatial Perspective Plan] for the district or relevant extracts thereof to the Local Self
Government Institutions within their jurisdiction.
1. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(3) The District Planning Committee shall as far as possible within sixty days from
the time limit prescribed for receiving objections and suggestions under sub-section (2)
consider all the objections and suggestions received and give effect to such modifications as
may be considered necessary and the 1[Spatial Perspective Plan] for the district as
recommended by the District Planning Committee shall be submitted to the Government for
sanction:
2[Provided that the District Planning Committee may appoint a sub committee under sub-
section (3) of section 14, consisting of not more than four of its members including the person
nominated by the Government, two persons possessing special knowledge or practical
experience in matters relating to transportation, agriculture, economics or environment and
the district level officer of the Local Self Government Department (Planning) of the
Government for processing the objections and suggestions and to submit its report to the
District Planning Committee.]
(4) The Government may, in consultation with the 3[State Town and Country
Planning Committee], within sixty days of the date of receipt of the 4[Spatial Perspective
Plan] for the district forwarded to it under sub-section (3), and after ensuring that the
5[Spatial Perspective Plan] for the district is within the framework of the 6[Spatial
Perspective Plan] for the State, if prepared, and any other Plans under this Act, priorities and
objectives set by the Government and the Government of India, sanction the same with or
without modifications:
Provided that if the 7[Spatial Perspective Plan] for the district is returned for incorporating
modifications, if any, suggested by the Government, the modified Plan shall be resubmitted
within sixty days and the Government may sanction the Plan as if the Plan is submitted for
sanction afresh.
8[(4A) The Government shall forward the Spatial Perspective Plan for the district
sanctioned under sub-section (4) to the District Planning Committee concerned for
incorporating its proposals suitably in the District Development Plan while preparing the
same as envisaged under section 53 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994).]
(5) As soon as may be, after the spatial perspective plan for the district has been
sanctioned by the Government, the District Planning Committee shall forward a copy thereof
to each of the Local Self Government Institutions in the district, and also publish, the fact of
sanction of the spatial perspective plan for the district by the Government, in the Official
Gazette and in at least one newspaper having wide circulation in the district, for information
of the public and also specifying the place or places where a copy of the Plan may be
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
available for reference or for 1 [ sale and the Spatial Perspective Plan for the District
sanctioned by the Government shall be published in the official website of the District
Planning Committee concerned.]
(6) The Government shall have the power to extend the time limit prescribed in sub-
sections (2) (other than the time limit prescribed for the preparation of the plan), (3) and (4)
above up to a period not exceeding six months.
18. 2[xxxx]
19. District Planning Committee to issue guidelines for preparation of five year
and annual plans of Local Self Government Institutions.—District Planning Committee may,
from time to time, issue guidelines for the preparation of five year and annual plans of Local
Self Government Institutions such that these plans are prepared taking into account the
3 [ spatial perspective plan].
CHAPTER IV
4[METROPOLITAN PLANNING COMMITTEE
AND THE SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR THE METROPOLITAN AREA]
20. Declaration of Metropolitan Area.—Any notification under clause (c) of Article
243 P of the Constitution of India to specify an area to be a Metropolitan Area, shall define
the limits of such area and such limits shall be as decided by the Government in consultation
with the State Town and Country Planning Committee:
Provided that the District Planning Committee shall not have jurisdiction over the
Metropolitan Area in respect of the matters relating to powers and functions of metropolitan
planning committee as specified in section 22.
5[21. Metropolitan Planning Committee and the Spatial Perspective Plan for the
Metropolitan Area.—The Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any, constituted by the
Government under section 54 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994), shall
prepare or get prepared a Spatial Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan Area, which shall be
the spatial component of the draft Development Plan for the Metropolitan Area envisaged
under section 54 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) and exercise such other
functions assigned to it under this Act.]
22. Powers and functions of Metropolitan Planning Committee in respect of spatial
planning.—(1) The Metropolitan Planning Committee, for the purposes of this Act, shall
formulate development goals, objectives, policies and priorities in matters relating to
planning, development and use of rural and urban land in the Metropolitan Area and shall
have due regard to the overall objectives and priorities set by the Government and the
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Government of India, all Plans prepared under this Act which have relevance to the
Metropolitan Area concerned, matters of common interest among the Local Self Government
Institutions in the Metropolitan Area, integrated development of infrastructure, environmental
conservation spatial development.
(2) The Metropolitan Planning Committee shall,—
1[(a) prepare or get prepared, in consultation with the Local Self Government
Institutions in the metropolitan area, the district level officer of the Local Self Government
Department (Planning) of the Government, and other Government Departments and agencies
in the Metropolitan Area, a Spatial Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan Area, taking into
account the Plans, if any, prepared by various Local Self Government Institutions in the
Metropolitan Area and any other plan prepared under this Act which have relevance to the
Metropolitan Area.]
(b) consult non-governmental institutions, organizations and professional bodies if
deemed necessary, in the preparation of 2[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area;
(c) continuously monitor and evaluate continuously the physical achievements of
the investments made by the various Local Self Government Institutions and quasi
Government agencies within the metropolitan area in the context of plans prepared under this
Act and submit a consolidated report to the 3 [State Town and Country Planning
Committee];
(d) co-ordinate planning and development activities among the Government
departments, Quasi Government Institutions within the Metropolitan Area or otherwise in
the context of plans under this Act;
(e) resolve conflicts, if any, on the following, namely:—
(i) issues regarding development of peripheral areas of urban centres;
(ii) sites for disposal of sewage and solid waste;
(iii) overlapping functions of various agencies involved in planning and
development; and
(iv) any other issue within the purview of the Metropolitan Planning Committee;
(f) advise Government and Local Self Government Institutions in the Metropolitan
Area on identification of probable location of major investment inputs which are likely to
have substantial impact on the development scenario of the Metropolitan Area/State;
(g) formulate policies and identify projects for integrated development of
metropolitan area level infrastructure and facilitate their implementation through public,
private or joint sector participation and/or otherwise;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(h) sort out matters relating to sharing of physical and natural resources within the
Metropolitan Area;
(i) perform any other incidental, supplemental or consequential function as may be
necessary and required for the purposes of carrying out its functions under this Act.
(3) For the purpose of assisting the Metropolitan Planning Committee in exercising
such of its powers, discharging such of its duties or performing such of its functions under
this Act, the Metropolitan Planning Committee may constitute one or more 1 [sub
committees]:
Provided that the Metropolitan Planning Committee may also constitute working groups
for various sectors for giving guidance and support to the 2 [ sub committee in the preparation
of spatial perspective plan].
3[23. Metropolitan Planning Committees and Spatial Perspective Plan for the
Metropolitan Area and matters that may be dealt within the Spatial Perspective Plan.—(1)
The Metropolitan Planning Committee constituted by Government under section 54 of the
Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994), shall prepare or get prepared the Spatial
Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan Area and it shall contain an integrated vision strategies
and policies for Spatial development of the Metropolitan Area for a plan period of
approximately twenty years.
(2) The Spatial Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan Area shall inter alia, deal with
all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) physical and natural potentials and their utilisation;
(b) population assignment and settlement pattern including rural as well as
urban centres and their hierarchy and functional specialization;
(c) transportation system including mass transport;
(d) generalized land utilisation pattern;
(e) housing and shelter development;
(f) protection of environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas and
conservation of heritage;
(g) integrated infrastructure development covering water, energy, sanitation,
education, health, recreation, communication and other utilities, facilities and services;
(h) development of specific areas, if any, such as industrial townships, coastal
areas, pilgrim centres etc.;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(i) situational analysis in respect of hazard, vulnerability, risk and proposals for
mitigation and resilience;
(j) spatial development aspects of various sectors, namely:—
(i) agriculture and rural development;
(ii) trade, commerce and industries;
(iii) tourism;
(iv) any other sector which is determinant in the spatial planning and
development of the Metropolitan Area;
(k) fiscal resource requirements and its mobilization including the extent and
nature of investments likely to be made in the area; and
(l) any other particulars and details as may be considered necessary for
ensuring planned development and as may be directed by the Government.
(3) Priority Action Plan, taking into account major schemes and projects envisaged
in the Spatial Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan Area and also the development priorities
assigned by the Central and State Governments, indicating phasing and prioritization of
actions for the implementation of short, medium and long term sectoral programmes, projects
and schemes or any other particulars as may be considered necessary in respect of spatial
development by the Metropolitan Planning Committee concerned.]
24. 1[xxxx]
25. Procedure for preparation, publication and sanctioning of spatial perspective
plan for the Metropolitan Area.—(1) As soon as may be, after its constitution, the
Metropolitan Planning Committee, shall take a decision 2 [ to prepare or get prepared] a
3 [ spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area.
(2) The Metropolitan Planning Committee shall, not later than two years from the
date of decision taken to prepare a 4 [ spatial Perspective Plan] in the Official Gazette as per
sub-section (1), prepare or get prepared and publish draft 5 [ spatial perspective plan] for the
Metropolitan Area in the website and the notice of publication shall be notified in the
Official Gazette and in at least two newspapers having wide circulation in the metropolitan
area, of which one must be in the regional language, specifying the place or places where a
copy of the draft 6 [ spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area may be inspected,
and also inviting objections and suggestions to be filed within a period of sixty days from the
date of publication of notice in the Official Gazette. The Metropolitan Planning Committee
1. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
shall forward a copy of the draft 1[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area or
relevant extracts thereof to the Local Self Government Institutions within their
jurisdiction. The Metropolitan Planning Committee shall forward a copy of the draft 2[spatial
perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area to the District Planning Committee concerned
and the District Planning Committee, as far as possible, within a period of sixty days
from the date of receipt of the said plan shall submit their suggestions, if any, to the
Government.
(3) The Metropolitan Planning Committee shall as far as possible within sixty days
from the time limit prescribed for receiving objections and suggestions under sub-section
(2) shall consider all the objections and suggestions received and give effect to such
modifications as may be considered necessary and the 3 [ spatial perspective plan] for the
Metropolitan Area as recommended by the Metropolitan Planning Committee shall be
submitted to the Government for sanction:
Provided that the Metropolitan Planning Committee may appoint 4[a sub committee]
consisting of not more than five of its members and the district level officer of the 5[Local Self
Government Department (Planning)] of the Government for processing the objections and
suggestions and to submit its report to the Metropolitan Planning Committee.
(4) The Government may, in consultation with the 6[State Town and Country
Planning Committee], within sixty days from the date of receipt of the 7[spatial perspective
plan] for the Metropolitan Area forwarded to it under sub-section (3) and after ensuring that
the 8[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area is within the framework of the
9[spatial perspective plan] for the State and any other Plans under this Act, priorities and
objectives set by the Government and the Government of India, sanction the same with or
without modifications:
Provided that if the 10[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area is returned for
incorporating modifications, if any, suggested by the Government, the modified plan shall
be resubmitted within sixty days and the Government may sanction the plan as if the Plan is
submitted for sanction afresh.
11[(4A) The Government shall return the Spatial Perspective Plan for the Metropolitan
area sanctioned under sub-section (4) by the Government, to the Metropolitan Planning
Committee concerned, for incorporating its proposals suitably in the draft Development Plan
for the Metropolitan area while preparing the same as envisaged under section 54 of the
Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994).]
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
11. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(5) As soon as may be, after the 1[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan
Area has been sanctioned by the Government, the Metropolitan Planning Committee
shall forward a copy thereof each to the District Planning Committee concerned and
the Local Self Government Institutions in the Metropolitan area, and also publish the fact of
sanction of the 2[spatial perspective plan] for the Metropolitan Area by the Government, in the
Official Gazette and in at least one newspaper having wide circulation in the Metropolitan
area, for information of the public and also specifying the place or places where a copy of the
Plan may be available for reference or for sale. 3[The Spatial Perspective Plan for the
Metropolitan area as sanctioned by the Government shall be published in the official website
of the Metropolitan Planning Committee concerned.]
(6) The Government shall have the power to extend the time limit prescribed in sub-
sections (2) (other than the time limit prescribed for preparation of the Plan), (3) and (4)
above up to a period not exceeding six months.
26. 4[xxxx]
27. Metropolitan Planning Committee to issue guidelines for preparation of five
year and annual plans of Local Self Government Institutions.—Metropolitan Planning
Committee may, from time to time, issue guidelines for the preparation of five year and
annual plans of Local Self Government Institutions, such that these plans are prepared
5[taking into account of the State Planning framework for five year plans and Annual Plans of
the Metropolitan Area.]
CHAPTER V
6[MASTER PLANS FOR LOCAL PLANNING AREAS]
28. Local Planning Area.—From the date of commencement of this Act, the area under
the jurisdiction of a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat shall be deemed to be a Local Planning Area, for the purposes of this Act.
29. Variations in the Local Planning Area.—(1) In case the Government vary the
area of jurisdiction of a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council or Town Panchayat as
provided under Section 4 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 or of a Village Panchayat as
provided under Section 4 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, as the case may be, the
Local Planning Area shall stand modified accordingly.
(2) The Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that all or any
of the rules, regulations, bye-laws, orders and directions made or issued and powers
conferred and in force in a Local Planning Area at the time, with such exceptions,
adaptations and modifications as may be considered necessary by the Government, shall
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
apply to the area modified under sub-section (1) and such rules, bye-laws, orders, directions
and powers shall forthwith apply to such Local Planning Area without further publication.
30. Powers and functions of the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils etc.
in relation to spatial planning.—Notwithstanding anything contained in the Kerala
Municipality Act, 1994 or the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat shall have the following additional
functions for the purpose of this Act, namely:—
1[(a) prepared or get prepared or adopt with or without modifications for the Local
Planning Area or part thereof a master plan, taking into account the Plans, if any, prepared
under this Act which is relevant to the Local Planning Area;]
(b) implement all or any of the provisions contained in the Plans under this Act by
formulating and executing projects, Land Pooling Schemes, Detailed Town Planning
Schemes or otherwise;
(c) formulate, promote, regulate and control land use and developmental
activities in the Local Planning Area as per the Plans under this Act;
(d) set up special function agencies, if necessary, for specific functions such as
plan preparation, implementation of projects and guide, direct and assist such agencies on
matters pertaining to their respective functions; and
(e) perform such other functions as are supplemental, incidental or consequential
to any of its functions and or as may be directed by the Government from time to time.
31. Delegation of powers to the Standing Committees 2[in relation to spatial
planning].—The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat, as the case may be, if so decided by a resolution, may delegate, any of its
powers and functions regarding spatial planning under this Act, except its power under sub-
section (4) of Section 36, to the Standing Committee responsible for spatial planning or town
planning in a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat, as the case may be.
32. Appointment of Special Committees and Working Groups.—(1) For the purpose of
assisting the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the
Village Panchayat concerned in exercising such of its powers, discharging such of its duties or
performing such of its functions under this Act, the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal
Council, the Town Panchayat or the Village Panchayat concerned may constitute one or
more special committees. Such special committees shall consist of the following persons,
namely:—
(i) the Chairperson of the Municipal Corporation or the Municipal Council or
the President of the Town Panchayat or the Village Panchayat, as the case may be, who shall
be the Chairperson of the special committee;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(ii) members of the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town
Panchayat or the Village Panchayat concerned, as nominated by the respective council/
committee;
(iii) the District Officer of the 1[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] or
his representative;
(iv) the Secretary of the Local Self Government Institution concerned, who shall
be the Convenor.
2[(v) Town Planner or Engineer of the Local Self Government Institution concerned,
not below the rank of Assistant Town Planner or Assistant Engineer, who shall be the Joint
Convenor].
(2) The Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the
Village Panchayat shall have the power to co-opt as a member of the special committee
constituted under sub-section (1), any person having special expertise and qualification in
3[Town and Country Planning or in Town/Spatial Planning], who is not a member of that
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as may be
deemed necessary.
(3) The Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the
Village Panchayat may constitute working groups as per the guidelines for the prevailing
Five Year Plan or in such manner as may be prescribed, for various sectors for giving
guidance and support to the special committees in the preparation of 4 [master plan].
5 [ (4) Discuss the problems relating to development and consolidate the directions
of gramasabha or ward sabha or ward committee].
33. The 6[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] and the Plans under
this Act.—The 7[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] of the Government
shall, guide and advise the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town
Panchayat or the Village Panchayat concerned, its Standing Committee or any other special
committees constituted under sub-section (1) of Section 32 or the working groups constituted
under sub-section (3) of Section 32 in the performance of their functions under this Act.
34. Matters that may be dealt with in the Master Plan.—(1) The Master Plan shall be
prepared through a participatory process and shall generally indicate the manner in which
development of the Local Planning Area or part thereof shall be carried out and also the
manner in which the use of land shall be regulated.
(2) The Master Plan may include the following, namely:—
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(a) A development concept and strategy with a long term vision, approximately for
a period of twenty years, having regard to the policies and strategies for the Local
Planning Area or part thereof concerned, as laid down in the 1 [ spatial perspective plan]
for the State, the plans for the district and the Metropolitan Area, if any, under this Act. It
may also incorporate goals, objectives, strategies and policies pertaining to all or some of the
sectors of spatial development that are pertinent to the local planning area or part thereof,
as the case may be;
(b) Master Plan documents with land use proposals, development control
regulations and Plans for infrastructure development;
(c) statement of community involvement in the preparation, implementation and
monitoring of the Master Plan;
(d) situational analysis including history of development, present status and trend of
development, regional context, physiographic and demographic characteristics, influence area
and its characteristics including settlement pattern, rural-urban relationship and fringe area
developments etc.;2[xxxx]
(e) existing land use ;
(f) 3[situational analysis in respect of hazard, vulnerability, risk and proposals for
mitigation and resilience; and
(g) Priority Action Plan, taking into account major schemes and projects envisaged
in the Master Plan for the Local Planning Area or part thereof along with development
priorities assigned by the Central and State Governments, indicating phasing and
prioritization of actions for the implementation of short, medium and long term sectoral
programmes, projects and schemes or any other particulars as may be considered necessary in
respect of spatial development by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned or as may be directed by the District Planning
Committee or Metropolitan Planning Committee, as the case may be.]
(3) In particular, the Master Plan shall provide for current issues, prospects and
proposals regarding all or any of the following, namely:—
(i) economic base and employment in sectors like agriculture, trade, commerce
and industries in both formal and informal sectors;
(ii) hierarchy of commercial areas, dispersal of commercial activities and related
issues;
(iii) dispersal of industries and restriction on specific type of industries in both
formal and informal sectors;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(iv) population assignment, space requirement for various activities and designating
the use of land for such purposes;
(v) housing, including affordable housing, informal sector housing, resettlement
strategy and slum upgradation;
(vi) educational facilities, including specialised education and research centres,
health facilities, including specialized hospitals, cultural and religious facilities, public and
semi-public institutions;
(vii) system of open space, play fields and recreation areas, conservation areas,
ecologically and environmentally sensitive areas, natural hazard prone areas and public
gathering grounds;
(viii) transportation covering roads, railways, waterways, pedestrian-pathways and
related activity centres, parking and terminal facilities, mass transportation system and its
integration with activity nodes, integration of land use with activity nodes and land use
pattern, airport and seaport etc.;
(ix) utilities and services such as water supply, drainage, sewerage, solid waste
management, energy, communication, fire protection, cremation and burial grounds,
slaughter houses etc.;
(x) tourism, environmental conservation, heritage, coastal area development and the
like; and
(xi) proposals for Transferable Development Rights, Accommodation
Reservation, Land Pooling Schemes or any other similar technique for promoting planned
development;
(xii) development control regulations for promoting and regulating the use and
development of land including regulations for natural hazard prone areas, imposition of
conditions and restrictions in regard to the building line, open space to be maintained about
buildings, Floor Area Ratio, coverage, height, number of storeys and character of buildings
and density of built-up area allowed in specified area, the use and purpose for which buildings
or specified areas of land may or may not be appropriated, the subdivision of plots, the
discontinuance of objectionable uses of land in any area in reasonable periods, parking
spaces, and the size of projections and advertisement signs and the like; and
(xiii) such other proposals for public purpose as may, from time to time, be
approved by the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the
Village Panchayat concerned, or as may be directed by the Government or the District
Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee, as the case may be, in this
behalf.
1[(xiv) fiscal requirements and resource mobilization proposals.]
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
35. 2[xxxx]
36. Procedure for preparation, publication and sanctioning of Master Plan.—(1) A
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat may, at any
time, by resolution, decide to prepare or 2[get prepared or adopt with or without modifications
a master plan for the Local Planning Area or part thereof and shall notify the intention of the
same in the Official Gazette and shall be duly published in the notice board and the website of
the Local Self Government Institution, and in at least one newspaper having wide circulation
in the area in the prescribed manner in a time bound manner].
3[(2) The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat shall, in consultation with the Local Self Government Department (Planning) of
the Government and other Government Departments and agencies, within two years from the
date of notification in the Official Gazette regarding the intention to prepare the Plan under
sub-section (1), prepare or get prepared or adopt with or without modifications a draft Master
Plan for the Local Planning Area or part thereof, after reviewing such plans, if any, prepared
earlier and after ensuring compliance with national policies, and forward the Master Plan
along with resolution to the Government through the Chief Town Planner, in such form as
may be prescribed:
Provided that the Chief Town Planner shall forward such plans to Government, as far as
possible, within forty five days along with the remarks that whether such plans are in
accordance with other plans under this Act and also with respect to any other matter
pertaining to master plan].
(3) The Government, on receipt of the draft Master Plan as per sub-section (2) may,
4[xxxx] accord approval, within a period of sixty days from the date of receipt of such Plan,
for publication, by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned.
(4) The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall, within sixty days from the date of receipt of approval for
publication under sub-section (3), publish the draft Master Plan in the 5[website of the Local
Self Government Institution;] and a notice of publication, in the Official Gazette and in at
least two newspapers having wide circulation in the Local Planning Area of which one
must be in the regional language, inviting objections and suggestions to be submitted within
sixty days from the date of publication of the notice in the Gazette, specifying the place or
places where a copy thereof shall be available for inspection by the public:
Provided that the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall publish such a notice, even if the draft Plan is prepared or got
prepared by the Chief Town Planner under clause (e) of section 11.
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(5) Immediately after a draft Master Plan is published under this Act, the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall
forward a copy of the published Master Plan to the District Planning Committee and
Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any and the District Planning Committee or the
Metropolitan Planning Committee may, as far as possible, within sixty days from the date
of the receipt of such Plan furnish their remarks, if any, on the Plan, to Government 1[and
to the Local Self Government Institution concerned.]
(6) Simultaneously with the publication of the notice under sub-section (4), the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall,
appoint a special committee under section 32 of this Act, which shall process the objections
and suggestions and hear all such persons who have made a request in writing for being
so heard and submit its report in the prescribed format to the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as far as possible within sixty days
from the time limit prescribed for receiving objections and suggestions.
(7) The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall, as far as possible within sixty days from the date of receipt of the
report of the special committee under sub-section (6), shall consider such objections or
suggestions and the report of the special committee on such objections or suggestions and
may modify the Plan as may be considered necessary and submit the Master Plan as passed
or adopted by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat, together with the objections and suggestions in original, the report of the special
committee and the recommendations thereon under this sub-section to the Government
for sanction 2[through the Chief Town Planner.
Provided that the Chief Town Planner shall forward such plans to the Government, as far
as possible, within forty five days along with the remarks that whether such plans are in
accordance with other plans under this Act and also with respect to any other matter
pertaining to master plan.]
(8) The Government may, as far as possible within a period of sixty days from the
date of receipt of the Master Plan as per sub-section (7), after considering the objections
and suggestions, if any, the recommendations of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned thereon, 3[the remarks of the Chief
Town Planner], the remarks, if any, received from the District Planning Committee and the
Metropolitan Planning Committee on the draft plan and after ensuring compliance with the
provisions of 4[any other plans] prepared under this Act, accord sanction to the Plan with or
without modifications and publish a notice in the Official Gazette intimating the fact of
sanction of the Master Plan:
5[xxxx]
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Provided further that if the Master Plan is returned for incorporating modifications, if
any, suggested by the Government, the modified Plan shall be resubmitted within ninety
days to the Government for sanction as if the Plan is submitted afresh under this Act:
Provided also that if the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned fails to resubmit the Plan within the time limit specified in
the foregoing proviso, the Government may, in relation to the Plan, pass such orders as
they may deem fit.
(9) When a Plan returned for modifications is modified by the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, the Plan so modified
shall, before resubmission to the Government for sanction, be published and passed by the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat in the same
manner as a draft Plan in cases in which the modification involves the inclusion or exclusion
from the local planning area or part thereof any land or the acquisition of any land not
originally proposed to be acquired.
(10) As soon as may be, after the Master Plan has been sanctioned by the
Government, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall forward a copy thereof to the District Planning Committee and
Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any and shall publish a notice regarding the sanction of
the Master Plan by the Government in at least one local newspaper, also stating the place or
places where a copy thereof shall be available for reference or for sale. The Master Plan as
sanctioned by the Government or its extracts shall also be published in the website of the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned.
(11) The Government shall have power to extend the time limit prescribed in sub-
sections (3) to (8) above up to a period not exceeding six months based on the
recommendation of the Chief Town Planner.
1[(12) In cases where a sanctioned Master Plan already exists, its provisions shall apply
until the published Master Plan is sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of this Act.]
37. 2[xxxx]
38. Master Plans that are published but not sanctioned within the time limit
prescribed.—3[(1)] Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, in respect of any area for
which a planned development is necessary and the published Plan is not sanctioned within
the time limit prescribed, the Government may, after making such enquiry if it may deem
necessary, in consultation with the Chief Town Planner and the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned require the Master Plan
to be processed and sanctioned as provided for in this Act.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Numbered by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
1[(2) In case the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned, fails to process and get the Plan sanctioned as required by
Government as laid in sub-section (1), the Government may, by order, require the District
Planning Committee to take action for obtaining sanction for the published Master Plan.
(3) The Government may require the District Planning Committee to constitute a sub-
committee as may be deemed necessary to perform the function under sub-section (6) of
section 36 of the Act. The Chairman of the sub-committee shall be one member nominated
from the District Planning Committee and Convenor of the sub-committee shall be the
District Officer of the Local Self Government Department (Planning). The sub-committee
shall within sixty days of its constitution submit its report on the draft Plan to the District
Planning Committee.
(4) The District Planning Committee shall, within thirty days of receipt of the report
of the sub-committee under sub-section (3) above, modify the draft Master Plan as
considered necessary and submit the modified Plan as passed by the District Planning
Committee together with the objections and suggestions in original, the report of the sub-
committee and the recommendations thereon to Government for sanction. The Government
shall accord sanction to the Master Plan with or without modification and publish a notice in
the Official Gazette intimating the fact of sanction of the Master Plan and the Local Self
Government Institution concerned shall proceed in accordance with sub-section (10) of
section 36 of this Act.
(5) In case the District Planning Committee fails to submit the draft Plan within
three months from the date of order under sub-section (2), the Government in consultation
with the Chief Town Planner and the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, process and accord sanction to the Master Plan
with or without modifications and publish a notice in the Official Gazette intimating the fact
of sanction of the Master Plan and the Local Self Government Institution concerned shall
proceed in accordance with sub-section (10) of section 36 of this Act.]
39. Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
to necessarily make Master Plans in certain cases.—Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Act, in respect of any area for which a planned development is necessary but not initiated
by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as
the case may be, Government may, after making such enquiry as may be deemed necessary,
by a notification in the Official Gazette, require the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat to prepare, publish and submit for sanction
the Master Plan as provided under this Act and the notification so issued shall be deemed to
be a decision taken by a resolution to prepare the plan under sub-section (1) of section 36 and
the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat shall
proceed in accordance with this Act.
2[Provided that if the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned fails to comply with the above Government direction, the
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Government may issue direction as deemed necessary, under clause (e) of section 11 of this
Act to prepare Master Plan for such area which shall be binding on the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned:
Provided further that, if the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat
or Village Panchayat fails to publish such Master Plan as in the proviso under sub-section (4)
of section 36 within the time limit prescribed, the Government may, suo motu, publish it,
process objections and suggestions, modify the plan to the extent required and sanction it in
accordance with this Act.]
CHAPTER VI
1[JOINT PLANNING COMMITTEE AND MASTER PLANS FOR
JOINT PLANNING AREAS]
40. Joint Planning Area.—The Government may, in consultation with the 2[State Town
and Country Planning Committee] or the Chief Town Planner, by notification in the Official
Gazette, declare an area to be a Joint Planning Area consisting of the area of more than
one Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat,
either in full or in part, for the purpose of effective planning of the area in which they are
jointly interested or for which they are jointly responsible.
41. Joint Planning Committee and Master Plan for the Joint Planning Area.—(1)
Subject to such rules as may be prescribed 3[xxxx] the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat declared to be part of a Joint Planning Area
under section 40, shall constitute a Joint Planning Committee with the district officer of the
4 [Local Self Government Department (Planning)] having jurisdiction over the area as
Member Secretary:
Provided that two third of the members of the Joint Planning Committee shall be elected
members of the Municipalities and the Village Panchayats in the Joint Planning Area.
(2) Government may, by notification in the Gazette, constitute a Joint Planning
Committee for any Joint Planning Area declared so under section 40.
(3) The procedure to be followed in the meetings of the committee including the
quorum for such meeting shall be governed by such rules, regulations or orders, as may be
prescribed.
42. Powers and functions of Joint Planning Committee.—The functions of a 5[Joint
Planning Committee shall include] the following:—
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(i) prepare or get prepared 1[or adopt with or without modifications] a Master
Plan for the Joint Planning Area, in tune with the contents of Plans, if any, under this
Act. The Joint Planning Committee shall, for the purposes of Plan preparation, publication
and sanction, follow the procedure which a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat has to follow in respect of a Local Planning Area
under Chapter V of this Act;
(ii) set up special function agencies, if required, and guide, direct and assist
them on matters pertaining to their respective functions; and
(iii) perform such other functions as are supplemental, incidental or consequential
to items (i) and (ii) above or as may be directed by the Government, the District Planning
Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee, as the case may be, from time to
time.
43. Functions of the constituent units of the Joint Planning Committee.—The
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
concerned of the Joint Planning Committee shall,—
(a) 2[xxxx]
(b) implement proposals contained in the Master Plan for the Joint Planning Area
under this Act;
(c) promote, regulate and control the developmental activities in their respective
local planning areas in accordance with the Master Plan for the Joint Planning Area;
(d) perform any other functions as directed by the Government, the District Planning
Committee, or the Metropolitan Planning Committee, as the case may be, from time to
time.
CHAPTER VII
DETAILED TOWN PLANNING SCHEMES
44. Power of the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, etc. to take up
Detailed Town Planning Schemes.—Subject to the provisions of this Act, and the rules
made thereunder, a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat may undertake development of an area, including regulation of activities in that
area, under its jurisdiction, by framing and implementing Detailed Town Planning Schemes,
3[xxxx].
4[Provided that Detailed Town Planning Scheme shall be prepared within the
framework of Master Plan, if any, existing in an area.]
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
45. Matters that may be dealt within a Detailed Town Planning Scheme.—(1) A Detailed
Town Planning Scheme may contain detailed proposals, including but not limited to the
following matters, namely:—
(a) establishment of new development centres;
(b) establishment of commercial centres, including specialised markets, wholesale
and retail trade centres;
(c) establishment of tourist centres and tourism related infrastructure;
(d) establishment of industries, industrial estates, factories, service industries etc.;
(e) development and landscaping of open spaces, recreational grounds, parks,
zoological and botanical gardens and social forestry;
(f) conservation of ecologically sensitive areas;
(g) protection of environmentally sensitive areas;
(h) conservation of heritage sites and buildings, objects of historical importance or
natural beauty and of buildings actually used for religious purposes;
(i) proposals for natural hazard prone areas;
(j) control of air and water pollution;
(k) housing schemes for different income groups including housing for economically
weaker sections of the society, infirmaries, destitutes, women and children in distress,
disabled, physically challenged, senior citizens etc.;
(l) redevelopment and renewal of blighted areas;
(m) resettlement, rehabilitation and upgradation of slum areas;
(n) provision of health care, religious, cultural and educational facilities;
(o) provision of water supply and electricity;
(p) provision of sanitary arrangements including construction of drains and public
conveniences etc., disposal of sewage, solid waste;
(q) construction, reconstruction, alteration, improvement and maintenance of public
roads and streets, bridges, pedestrian facilities, safe path for the cycle-riding, parking
facilities, transport terminals including bus depots, bus bays, bus stops, street lighting and
avenue plantation, improvement of road junctions;
(r) provision of public transportation including mass transportation;
(s) provision of communication facilities;
(t) informal sectors;
(u) provision of burial and cremation grounds, and slaughter houses;
(v) demolition of buildings or portions of building causing obstructs
development and developmental activities, closure or demolition of dwellings and portions of
dwellings unfit for human habitation;
(w) acquisition of land by purchase, lease or otherwise and erection thereon of such
buildings or carrying out such operations as may be necessary for the purposes of its
functions; and
(x) such other matters not inconsistent with the objects of this Act, as may be
considered necessary.
(2) Every Detailed Town Planning Scheme shall contain details, as far as may
be applicable, in respect of,—
(a) land assembly over which the Detailed Town Planning Scheme is to be
implemented;
(b) layout plan and other relevant drawings and details including, if necessary,
the imposition of conditions and restrictions in regard to the open space to be maintained
about buildings, the number, and character of buildings allowed in specified areas, the
purposes for which buildings or specified areas may or may not be appropriated, the
subdivision of plots, the discontinuance of objectionable uses of land in any area in
reasonable periods, floor area ratio, coverage, height, parking space, the size of projections
and advertisement signs and hoardings;
(c) total estimated cost, source of funding, cost recovery statement, if any;
(d) manner of disposal of assets, if any;
(e) management and maintenance mechanism; and
(f) any other matters as may be considered necessary for ensuring planned
development.
46. Procedure for preparation, publication and sanctioning of Detailed Town
Planning Scheme.—(1) A Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat
or Village Panchayat may, at any time, by resolution, decide to prepare or 1[get prepared or
adopt with or without modifications] a Detailed Town Planning Scheme and shall notify the
intention of the same, in the Official Gazette and in at least one newspaper having wide
circulation in the prescribed manner and such notification shall state the boundaries of the
planning area and the purpose for which such Plan is intended to be prepared.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(2) Every Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat shall, in consultation with the 1[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] of
the Government having jurisdiction over the area and other Government Departments and
agencies, prepare or get prepared 2[or adopt with or without modifications] a draft Detailed
Town Planning Scheme for the planning area within two years from the date of notification in
the Official Gazette of the intention to prepare the Plan under sub-section (1), after reviewing
Plans, if any, prepared earlier, duly approve such plan through resolution of the Council, and
publish the draft Detailed Town Planning Scheme in the website 3[of the Local Self
Government Institution] and the notice of publication in the Official Gazette and in at least
two newspapers having wide circulation in the local planning area, of which one must be in
the regional language, specifying the place or places where a copy of the same is available for
inspection and also inviting objections and suggestions to be submitted within sixty days from
the date of publication of the notice in the Official Gazette.
(3) Immediately after a Detailed Town Planning Scheme is published under this Act,
the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
concerned shall forward a copy of the published Detailed Town Planning Scheme to the
District Planning Committee and Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any, and the District
Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee may, as far as possible, within
sixty days from the date of the receipt of such Detailed Town Planning Scheme furnish
their remarks, if any, on such Detailed Town Planning Scheme to Government.
(4) After the expiry of the period allowed under sub-section (2) for filing objections
and suggestions, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall consider all the objections and suggestions received and shall after
allowing a reasonable opportunity of being heard, to any person who has made a request for
being so heard, make such modifications in the Detailed Town Planning Scheme as it
considers proper, as far as possible, within a period of sixty days from the time limit
prescribed for receiving objections and suggestions under sub-section (2) and shall submit the
Detailed Town Planning Scheme with or without modifications, together with all objections
and suggestions in original, for sanction of the Government 4[through the Chief Town
Planner].
5[Provided that the Chief Town Planner shall forward such plans to the Government
within sixty days along with the remarks that whether such plans are in accordance with other
plans under this Act and also with respect to any other matter pertaining to the Plan.]
(5) The Government may, as far as possible, within sixty days from the date of the
receipt of such Detailed Town Planning Scheme after considering remarks, if any, received
from the District Planning Committee and the Metropolitan Planning Committee
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
and 1 [ suggestions of] the Chief Town Planner, either accord sanction with or without
modifications or refuse such sanction specifying reasons thereof:
Provided that if the Detailed Town Planning Scheme is returned for incorporating
modifications, if any, suggested by the Government, the modified Detailed Town Planning
Scheme shall be resubmitted within ninety days for sanction as if the same is submitted
afresh under this Act.
(6) Immediately after a Detailed Town Planning Scheme is sanctioned by the
Government under this Act, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat
or Village Panchayat concerned shall notify the fact of sanctioning of the Detailed Town
Planning Scheme in the Gazette and publish a notice in at least one local newspaper
having wide circulation mentioning the place or places where a copy of the same shall be
available to the public for reference or for sale. The sanctioned Detailed Town Planning
Scheme shall also be published in the website of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned. The Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall also forward a
copy of the sanctioned Detailed Town Planning Scheme to the District Planning Committee
and Metropolitan Planning Committee.
2[(7) In cases where a sanctioned Detailed Town Planning Scheme already exists, its
provisions shall apply until the Detailed Town Planning Scheme published in accordance with
the provisions of the Act is sanctioned.]
47. Power to engage consultants and to set-up special function agencies.—A Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, with the prior
approval of the Government, may set-up special function agencies for the performance of
such specific functions, in accordance with and not inconsistent with the objects of this Act,
in such cases where it considers appropriate that it would be in public interest and would
effect economy and efficiency in the performance of the functions assigned to it.
48. Detailed Town Planning Schemes that are published but not sanctioned within the
time limit prescribed.—Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, in respect of any
area for which planned development is necessary and the published Detailed Town
Planning Scheme is not sanctioned within the time limit prescribed, the Government, may,
after making such enquiry as they may deem necessary, require the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat, Village Panchayat or Planning and Development
Authority concerned to process and sanction the Detailed Town Planning Scheme as laid
down in this Act.
49. Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat to necessarily make Detailed Town Planning Scheme in certain cases.—
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, in respect of any area for which planned
development is necessary but not initiated by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, the Government, may, after making such
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
enquiry as may be deemed necessary, by a notification in the Official Gazette, require the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat to prepare
or get prepared, publish and submit for sanction a Detailed Town Planning Scheme as
provided under this Act and the notification so issued shall be deemed to be the
notification of the intention to prepare the plan under sub-section (1) of section 46.
1[CHAPTER VII A
SPATIAL AREA PLAN FOR SPECIAL AREA
49A. Declaration of Special Area.—(1) A Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat shall in consultation with the District Town Planner
having jurisdiction over the area, by resolution of the council, delineate an area as a Special
Area which needs immediate planning intervention specifying the purpose for which the plan
is intended to be prepared.
(2) Government may, in consultation with the Chief Town Planner, by order, delineate
an area as a Special Area which needs immediate planning intervention specifying the
purpose for which the plan is intended to be prepared.
49B. Power of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council etc. to prepare Spatial
plan for a Special Area.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made
thereunder, a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat may prepare or get prepared or adopt with or without modifications Spatial plan
for a Special Area.
(2) The Government may, by order, require a Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat, or Village Panchayat to prepare or get prepared or adopt with or
without modifications a Spatial plan for a Special Area.
(3) The Government may, if deemed necessary, by order, get prepared a Spatial plan
for a Special Area in cases where immediate planning intervention is required.
49C. Matters that may be dealt within the Spatial plan for a Special Area.–(1) The
Spatial plan for a Special Area shall generally indicate the manner in which spatial
development of the Special Area shall be carried out and or the manner in which the use of
land shall be regulated.
(2) The Spatial plan for a Special Area shall include the following, namely:—
(a) a development concept and a strategy for the spatial development of the
Special Area. It may also incorporate, goals, objectives, strategies, and policies pertaining to
various sectors of spatial development that are pertinent to the Special Area;
(b) situational analysis in respect of hazard, vulnerability, risk and proposals for
mitigation and resilience;
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(c) plan documents with land use proposals, Plans for infrastructure development
and development control regulations; and
(d) priority action plan and implementation mechanism.
49D. Procedure for preparation and sanctioning of Spatial plan for a Special Area.—(1)
The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat may,
at any time, by resolution, decide to prepare or get prepared or adopt with or without
modifications. A Spatial plan for the area delineated as Special Area and shall notify the same
in the website of the Local Self Government Institution concerned and in at least one
newspaper having wide circulation in the area and such notification shall specify the
boundaries of the Special Area and the purpose for which such plan is intended to be
prepared.
(2) The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat shall, within a period of six months from the date of notice in the newspaper,
prepare or get prepared or adopt with or without modifications a draft Spatial plan for the
Special Area, in consultation with the Local Self Government Department (Planning) of the
Government and other Government departments and agencies concerned, and sanction the
draft Plan and publish the draft Plan in the official website and the notice of publication in at
least two newspapers having wide circulation in the local planning area (of which one shall
be in the regional language) specifying the place or places where a copy thereof shall be
available for inspection and also inviting objections and suggestions to be submitted within
thirty days from the date of publication of notice in the newspaper.
(3) Immediately after a Spatial plan for the Special Area is published under this Act,
the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
concerned shall forward a copy of the published Plan to the District Planning Committee or
Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any, and the District Planning Committee or the
Metropolitan Planning Committee may, as far as possible, within twenty one days from the
date of receipt of such Plan, communicate their remarks if any, on the plan to the Local Self
Government Institution concerned and the Government.
(4) After the expiry of the period allowed under sub-section (2) for filing objections
and suggestions, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall consider the remarks of the Special Committee under section 32 of
the Act, on all the objections and suggestions received and remarks, if any, of the District
Planning Committee or Metropolitan Planning Committee, and make such modifications in
the Spatial plan for the Special Area as it considers necessary within a period of thirty days
from the time limit prescribed for receiving objections and suggestions under sub-section (2)
and submit the Plan with or without modifications, together with all objections and
suggestions in original, to Government for sanction through the Chief Town Planner:
Provided that the Chief Town Planner shall forward such plan to the Government within
fourteen days with remarks whether such plan is in accordance with the other Plans under
this Act, and also with respect to any other matter pertaining to the Spatial plan for the
Special Area.
(5) The Government may, as far as possible, within twenty one days from the date
of receipt of such Spatial plan for the Special Area, after considering remarks, if any, received
from the District Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee and remarks
of the Chief Town Planner, either accord sanction with or without modifications or refuse
such sanction specifying reasons thereof:
Provided that if the Spatial plan for the Special Area is returned for incorporating
modifications, if any, suggested by the Government, the modified Plan shall be resubmitted to
Government for sanction within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the same as if it is
submitted afresh under this Act:
Provided further that in case modification of a draft Plan involves, inclusion or
exclusion of any land from the special area or new restrictions or acquisition of any land not
originally proposed to be acquired, the modified Plan shall be republished and processed for
sanction under the provisions of this Act after inviting objections and suggestions:
Provided also that the Government may extend the above time limits prescribed, as
deemed necessary.
(6) The Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, require a
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat to prepare
or get prepared a Spatial plan for a Special Area, such notification shall be deemed to be a
decision taken through a resolution to prepare or get prepared a Spatial plan for a Special
Area under sub-section (1) of section 49D and the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall proceed in accordance with
sub-sections (2) to (5) .
(7) A Spatial plan for a Special Area got prepared by the Government under sub-
section (3) of section 49B shall be published by the Government in the website and the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned
shall publish the same in their official website, process and submit for sanction in accordance
with sub-sections (2) to (5).
(8) As soon as may be, after the Spatial plan for a Special Area has been sanctioned
by the Government, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned shall forward a copy thereof to the District Planning Committee
and Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any, and shall publish a notice regarding the
sanction of the Spatial plan for the Special Area by the Government in at least one local
newspaper, also stating the place or places where a copy thereof shall be available for
reference or for sale. The Spatial plan for the Special Area as sanctioned by the Government
or its extracts shall also be published in the website of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned.]
CHAPTER VIII
1[REVIEW, REVISION, VARIATION AND REVOCATION OF SPATIAL
PERSPECTIVE PLAN, MASTER PLAN, DETAILED TOWN PLANNING SCHEME
AND SPATIAL PLAN FOR A SPECIAL AREA]
50. Review, revision, variation and revocation of Plans prepared under the Act.— 2[(1)
Immediately after the expiry of ten years from the date of sanction of a Perspective Plan,
Master Plan, Spatial plan for a Special Area or Detailed Town Planning Scheme under this
Act or at an earlier date with the concurrence of the Government, the State Town and Country
Planning Committee, the District Planning Committee, Metropolitan Planning Committee,
Joint Planning Committee, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat, as the case may be, shall review, revise or get revised such Plan
incorporating such modifications as may be considered necessary and get it sanctioned in
accordance with the provisions of this Act. The authority concerned shall ensure that the
revised plan is sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of this Act before the expiry of
the Plan period:
Provided that a sanctioned Master Plan shall be revoked by a subsequent Master Plan
published and sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of this Act and a sanctioned
Detailed Town Planning Scheme shall be revoked by a subsequent Detailed Town Planning
Scheme published and sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of this Act:
Provided further that if it deemed necessary, a sanctioned Detailed Town Planning
Scheme may be revoked by a Master Plan published and sanctioned in accordance with the
provisions of this Act. In such cases, proposals in the existing sanctioned Detailed Town
Planning Scheme shall be specifically reviewed and suitably addressed in the Master Plan
stating clearly the reasons thereof.]
(2) The authority concerned may, after such review, vary a Plan in part and get such
varied Plan sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, Government may, if it deems
necessary, at any time, by notification in the Gazette, vary a Plan sanctioned under this
Act:
Provided that before issuing such notification, Government shall publish a draft of such
notification in the prescribed manner and shall circulate copy thereof to the authority
concerned and shall consider any objection or suggestion which may be received on such
draft from such authority or any person interested in the Plan and may make such
modification as the Government consider proper.
CHAPTER IX
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
1[51. Constitution of Development Authority.—The Government may in the interests of
planned local development and for the implementation of major development projects and/or
co-ordination of major schemes and projects and/or mobilisation of resources from various
sources for implementation of major development projects, in an urban area or in any area
with development potential in consultation with the Chief Town Planner, by notification in the
Gazette, constitute with effect from such date and for such areas, as may be specified, in the
notification, a Development Authority to exercise the powers and to perform the functions
under section 56 of this Act.]
52. Chairman of Development Authority.—The Government shall appoint the Chairman
of the Development Authority on such terms and conditions of service as may be prescribed,
who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Government, provided that the term of office
of the Chairman shall not in any case exceed five years.
53. Composition of Development Authority.—The Development Authority shall consist
of,—
(a) the General Council; and
(b) the Executive Committee.
54. The General Council.—(1) The General Council shall be constituted by the
Government and shall consist of the following members, namely:—
(a) the Chairman of the Development authority, ex-officio, who shall be the
Chairman of the General Council;
(b) not less than two persons nominated by the Government from among the members
of the Local Self Government Institutions having jurisdiction in the area for which the
Development Authority has been constituted;
(c) the members of the State Legislative Assembly representing any area within the
jurisdiction of the Development Authority:
Provided that if any member of the State Legislative Assembly representing any area
within the jurisdiction of the Development Authority becomes a Minister, he may nominate a
person from his constituency to represent him in the General Council.
(d) The Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, if any, the Town Planner of the
2[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] of the district concerned, the Executive
Engineer (Roads and Bridges) of the Kerala State Public Works Department of the area
concerned;
(e) not more than eight other persons nominated by the Government in such
manner as may be prescribed;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
1[(f) the Member Secretary of the Development Authority, who shall be an officer of
the Government not below the rank of a Town Planner with not less than ten years of
experience in Town and Country Planning or Municipal Administration.]
(2) The Government shall prescribe the strength of the General Council which shall
not be less than fifteen or more than thirty (excluding the Chairman).
(3) The members nominated under sub-section (1) shall hold office during the pleasure
of the Government and their terms and conditions of service shall be such as may be
prescribed:
Provided that the term of office of a non-official member so nominated shall not in
any case exceed three years:
Provided further that a member nominated under clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall cease
to be a member on his ceasing to be a member of the Local Self Government Institution
in the area:
Provided also that a member under clause (c) of sub-section (1) shall cease to be a
member of the General Council on his ceasing to be a member of the State Legislative
Assembly representing any area within the jurisdiction of the Development Authority.
(4) The General Council shall be the policy making body for determining the lines on
which the improvement and development of the area within the jurisdiction of the
Development Authority shall proceed and shall have the power to review the actions of the
Executive Committee in implementing the policies determined by the General Council.
55. The Executive Committee.—(1) The Executive Committee shall be constituted by
the Government and shall consist of the following members, namely:—
(a) the Chairman of the Development Authority, ex-officio, who shall be the
Chairman of the Executive Committee;
(b) not more than two persons, depending upon the strength of the General
Council, nominated by the Government from among the members of the General Council
nominated under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 54;
(c) not more than four persons, depending upon the strength of the General
Council, nominated by the Government from among the members of the General Council
under clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 54;
(d) The Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, if any, the Town Planner of the
2[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] of the district concerned, the Executive
Engineer (Roads and Bridges) of the Kerala State Public Works Department of the area
concerned;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(e) not more than two persons, depending upon the strength of the General
Council, nominated by the Government from among the members of the General Council
under clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 54;
(f) the Member Secretary of the Development Authority, ex-officio.
(2) The Government shall fix the strength of the Executive Committee which shall not
be less than five and more than ten, excluding the Chairman.
(3) A member nominated to the Executive Committee shall hold office during the
pleasure of the Government and their terms and conditions of service shall be such as
may be prescribed:
Provided that the term of office of a non-official member of the Executive Committee
shall not in any case exceed three years:
Provided further that a member of the Executive Committee shall cease to be such
member on his ceasing to be a member of the General Council.
(4) The executive powers of the Development Authority shall vest in the Executive
Committee and the Committee shall be responsible for carrying out the powers and
functions under section 56 and for giving effect to the policies laid down by the
General Council for the improvement and development of the area within the jurisdiction
of the Development Authority.
56. Powers and functions of Development Authority.—Subject to the provisions of the
Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) and the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of
1994), the powers and functions of a Development Authority shall include the following:—
(i) preparation and implementation of land re-adjustment or land pooling or land
banking schemes for the purpose of implementation of projects in the Development
Authority area, in tune with the provisions of this Act;
(ii) promoting planned development as envisaged in the Plans for the development
authority area, through tools like Transfer of Development Rights, accommodation
reservation etc.;
(iii) set-up special function agencies, if required, and guide, direct and assist them on
matters pertaining to their respective functions;
(iv) co-ordination of implementation of Plans under this Act in the Development
Authority area;
(v) perform such other functions as are supplemental, incidental or consequential to
items (i) to (iii) above or as may be directed by the Government, the District Planning
Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee, as the case may be, from time to
time.
57. Functions of Member Secretary.—(1) Subject to the general powers of the
Development Authority and without prejudice to the powers of the Chairman under this Act,
the Member Secretary who shall be the Chief Executive of the Development Authority shall
have the following functions, namely:—
(i) all budgetary, planning, enforcement and supervisory functions of the
Development Authority;
(ii) making available to the Development Authority all the information relating to
the administration and accounts of the Authority as well as other matters whenever called
upon by the Authority to do so;
(iii) preparation and submission of the annual reports and audited accounts of the
Development Authority for its approval within three months of the close of every financial
year and thereafter submit copies of the same to the Development Authority;
(iv) appointment of the staff of the Development Authority.
(2) If, in the opinion of the Member Secretary, any resolution passed by the
Development Authority contravenes any provision of this Act or any other law or any
rule, notification, regulation or bye law made or issued under this Act or any other law or
any order passed by the State Government or it is prejudicial or detrimental to the interests
of the Development Authority, he shall within fifteen days of passing such resolution, refer
the matter to the Government and inform the Development Authority at its next meeting
of the action taken by him and until the orders of the Government on such reference are
received, the Member Secretary of the Development Authority shall not be bound to give
effect to the resolution.
58. Staff of Development Authority.—The Development Authority shall appoint such
officers and staff in the Development Authority with such terms and conditions of service
and salary, as may be prescribed.
59. Transfer of staff, assets and liabilities of the Development Authority.—In case, the
Development Authority constituted under this Act ceases to function, the staff, the assets and
liabilities of such Authority shall be transferred to the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned in the Development Authority area
or as decided by the Government.
60. Power of Government to make rules to prescribe functions and powers of
General Council, Executive Committee etc.—The Government may, by notification in
the Official Gazette, make rules prescribing powers and functions of the General Council,
Executive Committee and the Member Secretary and on any other matters relating to the
functioning of the Development Authority. The term of office and conditions of the service of
the non-official members of the Development Authority shall be such as may be prescribed.
CHAPTER X
CONTROL OF USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LAND
61. Use and development of land to be in conformity with Master Plans and Detailed
Town Planning Schemes under this Act.—After the coming into operation of a Master Plan
1[Spatial plans for a Special Area], or Detailed Town Planning Scheme under this Act, no
person shall use or cause to use any land or carry out development in any land, or
change the use of land otherwise than in conformity with 2[xxxx] the Master Plans
3 [ Spatial plans for a Special Area] and Detailed Town Planning Schemes under this Act.
4[xxxx]
5[62. The date of coming into operation of a Plan.— (1) For the purpose of section 61 the
date of coming into operation of a plan shall be the date of publication of notice in the Official
Gazette inviting objections and suggestions, under the provision of this Act.
(2) In cases where a sanctioned Master Plan and a sanctioned Detailed Town
Planning Scheme exist in an area, the provisions of the sanctioned Detailed Town Planning
Scheme shall prevail over the provisions of the sanctioned Master Plan except in cases where
the sanctioned Detailed Town Planning scheme is revoked by a sanctioned Master Plan under
section 50 of this Act.
(3) In cases where a sanctioned Master Plan and a published Detailed Town Planning
Scheme exist in an area, the provisions of the sanctioned Master Plan shall prevail over the
provisions of the published Detailed Town Planning Scheme.
(4) In cases where a published Master Plan and a sanctioned Detailed Town Planning
Scheme exist in an area, the provisions of the sanctioned Detailed Town Planning Scheme
shall prevail over the provisions of the published Master Plan.
(5) In cases where a published Master Plan and a published Detailed Town Planning
Scheme exist in an area, the provisions of the published Detailed Town Planning Scheme
shall prevail over the provisions of the published Master Plan.
(6) The provisions of the Spatial plan for a Special Area sanctioned in accordance
with this Act shall prevail over the provisions of any other Plan for the same area.]
63. Interim Development Orders and the restrictions after notifying the intention
to prepare Plans.—(1) 6[xxxx] With the general object of controlling interim development of
land included in any planning area in respect of which 7[intention to prepare a Master Plan or
a Detailed Town Planning Scheme has been notified] under this Act, the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat, Village Panchayat or Joint Planning
Committee, as the case may be, may prepare Interim Development Orders and forward the
same to the Government for sanction.
1. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
1[Note:—The expression ‘interim development’ means development during the period
between the date of notification of intention in the Gazette to prepare a Plan and the date of
publication of the draft Plan in the Official Gazette under this Act.]
(2) Government may, in consultation with the Chief Town Planner, approve the
Interim Development Orders forwarded to it under sub-section (1) with or without
modifications. 2[The fact of approval of the Interim Development Order shall be notified in
the Gazette.]
(3) The main intention of the Plan shall be stated clearly in the Interim Development
Orders and it may also provide for all or any of the following, namely:—
(a) circulation network and building lines;
(b) space standards;
(c) prohibiting the erection or re-erection of any building or construction of any road or
making of any excavation or permitting development of land either unconditionally or subject
to any condition specified in the order;
(d) limiting the number of buildings, regulating the size, height, design and external
appearance of buildings;
(e) restricting the manner in which buildings may be used; and
(f) prohibiting building operations or regulating such operations in respect of such
matters as may be prescribed.
(4) The restrictions imposed by the Interim Development Orders shall cease to operate
with the 3 [publication of notice of the Plan in the Official Gazette inviting objections and
suggestions thereon under the provisions of the Act:]
4[xxxx]
64. Land Development Permit.—No development or change of use of any land shall
be undertaken or carried out,—
(a) without obtaining permission in writing from the Secretary of the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned in such
manner as may be prescribed; and
(b) without obtaining a certificate from the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned to the effect that the
development charges payable under this Act have been paid:
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Provided that no such permission or certificate shall be necessary for the operational
constructions of the departments of Central or State Government, Quasi-government
Institutions or Local Self Government Institutions, as may be notified by the Government
from time to time.
65. Application for Land Development Permit.—(1) Any person or body intending to
carry out any development on any land shall make an application in writing to the Secretary
of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
concerned for permission in such form and containing such particulars and accompanied by
such documents, fee and Plans as may be prescribed.
(2) On such application having been duly made, and on payment of the
development charges as may be assessed under this Act,—
(a) the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat may, within a period of thirty days, pass an order,—
(i) granting permission unconditionally; or
(ii) granting permission subject to such conditions as it may consider fit to
make it in conformity with the Plans and the laws in force;
(iii) refusing permission stating the reasons thereof;
(b) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision and the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned may,—
(i) to the effect that the condition granted is only for a limited period and that
after the expiry of that period, the land shall be restored to its previous condition or the use
of the land permitted shall be discontinued; and
(ii) for regulating the development or use of any other land under the control of
the applicant or for carrying out of the works on any such land as may appear to the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned
expedient, for the purpose of the permitted development.
(3) The Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned in dealing with the applications for permission
shall have regard to the provisions of the Master Plans and Detailed Town Planning
Schemes in force or the Interim Development Orders as provided under this Act.
(4) When permission is granted subject to conditions, or is refused, the grounds of
imposing such conditions or such refusal shall be recorded in the order.
(5) Any such order shall be communicated to the applicant in the manner prescribed.
(6) In the case of the departments of Central or State Government or Quasi-
government Institutions intending to carry out any development other than operational
constructions on any land, the concerned department or institution, as the case may be, shall
intimate in writing to the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, of its intention to do so, giving full particulars
thereof and accompanied by such documents as may be prescribed by the Government from
time to time, at least, thirty days prior to the undertaking of such development.
(7) Where the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned has raised any objection pertaining to the proposals received in respect
of conformity of the proposed development, either to any matter in sub-section (3) or to any
of the building rules in force at the time, the departments of Central or State Government or
the Quasi-government agencies, as the case may be, shall make necessary modifications in
the proposals for development to clear the objections raised by the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned:
Provided that the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall intimate the objections, if any, within thirty
days of receipt of the proposal.
66. Power of revocation or modification of Development Permit.—If it appears to the
Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned, that it is expedient that any permission granted to develop land should
be either revoked or modified, having regard to a Master Plan or Detailed Town Planning
Scheme prepared or under preparation under this Act or on being satisfied that the permission
was issued by mistake or that a patent error has crept in it or that the permission was
happened to be issued on misrepresentation of fact or law or that the development if carried
on will be a threat to life or property, the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned may, after giving the person
concerned an opportunity of being heard against such revocation or modification, either
revoke the permission or modify the permission to such extent as it appears to be
necessary.
67. Obligation to acquire land in certain cases.—(1) Where any land is designated for
compulsory acquisition in a Master Plan or Detailed Town Planning Scheme sanctioned under
this Act and no acquisition proceedings are initiated for such land under the Land Acquisition
Act in force in the State within a period of two years from the date of coming into
operation of the Plan, the owner or person affected may serve on the Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, within
such time and in such manner, as may be prescribed, a notice (hereinafter referred to as “the
purchase notice”) requiring the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned to purchase the interest in the land in accordance with the
provisions of this Act;
(2) On receipt of any purchase notice under sub-section (1), as soon as
possible, but not later than sixty days from the date of receipt of the purchase notice, the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, as the
case may be, through a resolution decide to acquire the land, where the land is designated
for compulsory acquisition for the purpose of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat.
(3) Where the land is designated for compulsory acquisition for the purpose of
any Government Department or Quasi-government Agency, the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat shall forward such notice to
the Government.
(4) In case the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned decides not to acquire the land, it shall initiate variation of
the plan suitably in accordance with this Act.
(5) In case the land acquisition could not be effected within a period of two years
from the date of resolution to acquire the land, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall initiate variation of the plan suitably in
accordance with this Act.
(6) On receipt of a purchase notice under sub-section (3), the Government shall in
consultation with the Government Department or Quasi-government Agency concerned, not
later than six months from the date of receipt of the purchase notice, confirm the purchase
notice. In any other case, Government may require the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned to vary the plan suitably in
accordance with this Act:
Provided that in case the land acquisition could not be effected within a period of two
years from the date of confirmation of the purchase notice, the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall initiate variation of
the plan suitably in accordance with this Act under intimation to the Government.
(7) If no order has been passed by the Government within a period of six months
from the date of receipt of the purchase notice, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned shall, suo moto initiate variation of
the plan suitably in accordance with this Act:
Provided that where variation proceedings of the Plan are initiated under this section, the
Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned shall, in consultation with the Chief Town Planner, take suitable
decision on any application for land development permit received under section 64.
68. Power to require stoppage or removal of unauthorised development, imposition
of penalty etc.—(1) Where any development or change of use of any land or building has
been or is being carried out,—
(a) in contravention of any Master Plan or Detailed Town Planning Scheme under
this Act; or
(b) without permission as required under this Act; or
(c) without obtaining a certificate regarding payment of development charges under
this Act; or
(d) in contravention of any permission or condition subject to which such permission
has been granted; or
(e) after the permission for development has been revoked under this Act; or
(f) in contravention of the permission which has been modified under this Act, the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned,
shall serve on the owner a notice requiring to stop the development or change of use of land
with immediate effect, and also requiring within such period not exceeding one month, after
the service of the notice, to take such steps as may be specified in the notice,—
(i) to restore the land to its condition before the said development took place, in
cases specified in clauses (a), (b) or (e);
(ii) to secure compliance with the permission or conditions or with the permission
as modified, in cases specified in clause (d) or (f); or
(iii) to pay the development charges and such penalty, if any, as may be prescribed,
in cases specified in clause (c).
(2) In particular, any such notice may, for the purpose of sub-section (1), require,—
(a) the demolition or alteration of any building or works;
(b) the carrying out on land, of any building or other operations; or
(c) the discontinuance of any use of land:
Provided that in case the notice required the discontinuance of any use of the land, the
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned
shall serve a notice on the occupier also.
(3) Any person aggrieved by any such notice may, within the period specified in the
notice, apply for permission, as provided under section 65 with such modifications as may be
required, for the retention on the land of any building or work, or for the continuance of any
use of land, to which the notice is related:
Provided that no development or change of use of land shall be continued until final
determination of such application and further procedure as per the notice shall not be effected
till then.
(4) The provisions of section 65 shall apply to such application with such modifications
as may be required.
(5) If permission is granted on such application, the notice shall not take effect, or if
such permission is granted for the retention only of some buildings or works or for the
continuance of use of only a part of the land, the notice shall not take effect regarding such
buildings or works or such part of the land, but the notice shall have full effect regarding other
buildings or works or other parts of the land.
(6) If within the period specified in the notice or within such period after the disposal of
the application for permission, the notice or so much of it that continues to have effect, is not
complied with, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned may,—
(a) take steps to prosecute the owner, for not complying with the notice and in case
where the notice required the discontinuance of any use of land, prosecute the owner, occupier
or any other person who uses the land or causes or permits the land to be used in
contravention of the notice;
(b) cause the restoration of the land to its condition before the development took
place and secure compliance with the conditions of the permission, in the case of a notice
requiring the demolition or alteration of any building or works or carrying out of any building
or other operations, by taking such steps as the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned may consider necessary, including
demolition or alteration of any building or works or carrying out of any building or other
operations; or
(c) require any police officer to remove such person and all his workmen from the
land at any time after the service of such notice and such police officer shall comply with the
same; or
(d) cause to ensure that the development or change of use of land is not continued
and to seal the unauthorised development, if deemed necessary; or
(e) recover the cost of any expense incurred by it in this regard from the owner as
arrears of land revenue.
(7) Any person prosecuted under clause (a) of sub-section (6) shall on conviction be
punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years or with a
fine which may extend up to ten thousand rupees, or with both and in the case of a continuing
offence, with a further fine which may extend up to five hundred rupees per day during which
such offence continues after first conviction.
69. Removal or discontinuance of unauthorised development of temporary nature.—(1)
Notwithstanding anything herein before contained in this Chapter, where any person has
carried out any development unauthorisedly as indicated in sub-section (1) of section 68, but
of a temporary nature, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat concerned may, by an order in writing direct that person to remove any
such structure erected or work done, or discontinue the use of land within fifteen days from
the receipt of the order or as specified therein and if thereafter the person does not comply
with the order within the said period, the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned may authorise any of its officers or employees, to
have such work summarily removed or such use summarily discontinued without any notice,
as directed in the order and any further unauthorised development, shall be removed or
discontinued summarily without making any order as aforesaid.
(2) The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned may recover the cost of any expenses incurred by it in this regard from
the owner as arrears of land revenue.
(3) Government may, if deemed necessary appoint such additional officers and staff,
as may be prescribed, to ensure that the powers specified in sections 68 and 69 are
exercised.
70. Applicability of the provisions to a Joint Planning Committee.—For the
purposes of this Chapter, a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat may also include a Joint Planning Committee constituted under section
41 of the Act.
71. Power of the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils etc. to prepare Land
Pooling Schemes.— 1[(1)] Subject to the provisions of this Act or any other law in force, a
Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat, Village Panchayat may, for the
purpose of implementing the proposals contained in the Plans under this Act, prepare 2[or get
prepared or adopt with or without modifications], one or more Land Pooling Schemes for any
part of the area within its jurisdiction and get them sanctioned by the Government in the
prescribed manner:
Provided that the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat may entrust the preparation of the Land Pooling Scheme to a Development
Authority having jurisdiction over the area constituted under this Act:
Provided further that the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat shall permit any development in such area only with the concurrence of
the Development Authority:
Provided also that the Government may entrust a Land Pooling Scheme to a
Development Authority if it deems fit.
3[(2)The Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat may also, through a resolution, decide to prepare or get prepared or adopt with or
without modifications a Land Pooling Scheme in respect of any part of the area within its
jurisdiction.]
72. Contents of Land Pooling Scheme.—The Land Pooling Scheme shall, inter alia,
contain the following particulars, namely:—
(a) the boundary, extent, ownership, tenure and existing use of all original plots
covered by the Land Pooling Scheme;
(b) reservation, acquisition or allotment of land in the Scheme area, with general
indication of the uses as contained in the Master Plan or Detailed Town Planning Scheme, if
1. Numbered by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
any, in force in the area and the terms and conditions, if any, subject to which, such land is to
be put to that use;
(c) the laying out or relaying out of the land either vacant or already built upon;
(d) the extent to which it is proposed to alter the boundaries of the original plots
in accordance with the proposed Land Pooling Scheme as the reconstituted final plots;
(e) an estimate of the total cost of the Land Pooling Scheme, the net cost to be
borne by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village
Panchayat concerned and the period within which the scheme is proposed to be
implemented;
(f) proposals for natural hazard prone areas, the imposition of conditions and
restrictions in regard to the open space to be maintained about buildings, the percentage of
building area for a plot, the number, height and character of buildings allowed in specified
areas, the purposes for which buildings or specified areas may or may not be used, the sub-
division of plots, the discontinuance of objectionable uses of land in any area in
reasonable periods, parking space, and the size of projections and advertisement signs.
73. Reconstitution of original plots into final plots.—(1) In a Land Pooling Scheme, for
reconstituting the plots, the size and shape of every reconstituted plot shall be determined, so
far as may be, to render it suitable for building purposes, and, where a plot is already built
upon, to ensure that the buildings, as far as possible, comply with the provisions of the Land
Pooling Scheme.
(2) For the purpose of sub-section (1), the Land Pooling Scheme may also contain
proposals,—
(a) to form a final plot by reconstitution of an original plot, by alteration of the
boundaries of the original plot, if necessary;
(b) to form a reconstituted final plot from an original plot, by transfer wholly
or partly from the adjoining lands;
(c) to allot a reconstituted final plot to any owner dispossessed of land, in
furtherance of the objectives of the Land Pooling Scheme;
(d) to transfer the ownership of an original plot from one person to another;
(e) to provide, with the consent of the owners, that two or more original plots,
each of which is held in ownership severally or jointly, shall after reconstitution, with or
without alteration of boundaries, be held in ownership in common as a reconstituted plot;
(f) for assigning roles and responsibilities of the owners of the land and building,
and also of various agencies involved in providing infrastructure; and
(g) the procedure to be adopted, in cases where a minority of the land owners
object to the implementation of the scheme.
Note:—For the purpose of this section, the term “original plot” shall mean the plot
originally used for reconstitution in a Land Pooling Scheme and the term “final plot” shall
mean the plot which is allotted to the owner in lieu of original plots.
74. Preparation, publication and sanction of Land Pooling Scheme.—1[xxxx]
(2) The procedure to be followed for the preparation, publication and sanction of the
Land Pooling Scheme shall be as may be prescribed.
CHAPTER XI
IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS
75. Local Self Government Institutions to implement projects through Annual
Plans and Five Year Plans.—Every Local Self Government Institution, while framing the
proposals for inclusion in the Annual Plans and the Five Year Plans under decentralised
planning, as provided under section 175 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994)
or section 51 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994), as the case may be, shall give
due regard to the proposals envisaged in the Plans prepared under this Act.
76. Government Departments and other authorities to take into account Plans prepared
under this Act while drawing up projects.—The Plans prepared under this Act shall be
duly considered by the Government Departments, the State Planning Board, the District
Planning Committee, 2[Metropolitan Planning Committee], Local Self Government
Institutions and the Development Agencies while drawing up projects for implementation.
77. Power to acquire land, under the Land Acquisition Act, in force.—Any land required,
reserved or designated in a Plan under this Act, shall be deemed to be a land needed for a
public purpose within the meaning of the Land Acquisition Act in force, and may be acquired
by the Government on request by the District Planning Committee, the Metropolitan
Planning Committee, the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat
or the Village Panchayat, as the case may be, or by any Development Authorities
constituted under this Act or Government Departments or Quasi-Government Agencies.
78. Acquisition of property for implementation of Plans.—A Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat or Development
Authority may acquire any movable or immovable property by purchase, exchange, gift,
lease, mortgage, negotiated purchase or by any other method permissible under any law,
for the purpose of the implementation of a Plan under this Act.
79. Transfer of Government land to the Local Self Government Institutions.—The
Government may, by order and on such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon
between the Government and a Local Self Government Institution, place at the disposal of
that Local Self Government Institution, any developed or undeveloped Government land
situated within their jurisdiction for the purpose of development in accordance with the Plan
under this Act.
1. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
80. Acquisition of land by way of according Transferable Development Right.—A
Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat may, with the consent of the owner, acquire land for public purposes by
way of according Transferable Development Right through issue of Development Right
Certificate, to be registered, in lieu of payment towards the cost of land in such manner as
may be prescribed:
Provided that the Transferable Development Right expressed in terms of area of total
permissible built-up space calculated on the basis of Floor Area Ratio permissible for the
concerned land, is utilised as additional built-up space over and above the permissible built-up
space by the owner who may use it by himself or transfer it to any other person in full or
in part from the present location for use in areas earmarked for the purpose in the Master
Plan or the Detailed Town Planning Scheme.
81. Acquisition of land and built-up space by way of accommodation Reservation.—
A Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat may, with the consent of the owner, and in the manner prescribed,
acquire land and built-up space for public purposes, indicated in a sanctioned Master Plan or
Detailed Town Planning Scheme, by way of accommodation reservation, by permitting
in the form of built-up space guided by permitted Floor Area Ratio in addition to built-up
space required for the amenity, in lieu of the cost of land and the built-up space for the
amenity transferred to the Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, as may be prescribed.
82. Development works by promoters.—Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules
made thereunder, a Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat, for the purpose of implementing the proposals
contained in a sanctioned Plan, may permit a private or joint sector promoter, to undertake
or carry out a development work within the area of its jurisdiction as per the guidelines, if
any, issued by the Government.
83. Levy of development charges.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the
rules made thereunder, and with the previous sanction of the Government, a Development
Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat
may, by a notification published in the official Gazette, levy Development Charges,—
(a) on the carrying out of any development of land or on any change of use of land
or building for which permission is required under Chapter X;
(b) on any development necessitating provision or augmentation of infrastructure
or other public amenity, and
(c) on the vacant land (the development charges being termed as ‘Developed
Vacant Land Cess’):
Provided that no development charges shall be leviable on any land vested in or under
the control or possession of the Central Government, the State Government,
Development Authority or any Local Self Government Institution.
(2) The rates of development charges to be levied under sub- section (1) and the
manner of assessment and recovery shall be such as may be prescribed.
(3) The Government may, by rules, provide for exemption from the levy of
development charges on any land, 1[if it is deemed necessary.]
84. Appeals on the levy of development charges.—Any appeal relating to the levy,
assessment or recovery of a development charge under this Act, shall lie to the Tribunal for
Local Self Government Institutions constituted under Section 271 S of the Kerala Panchayat
Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994).
85. Levy of user fee.—(1) In order to recover fully or partly the capital expenditure and
the cost of maintenance of utilities, amenities, services or facilities provided by a
Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or
Village Panchayat, it may levy and collect a charge from the users thereof, to be called
the user fee.
(2) The amount of user fee to be levied and the manner of assessment and
collection shall be such as may be prescribed.
(3) The Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned may assign, on such terms and conditions, as
may be agreed, the task of providing and maintaining utility, amenity, service or facility,
within the area of its jurisdiction, to any person or agency including an association or body
of individuals, whether corporate or not, and permit them to collect such user fee from such
beneficiaries and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.
CHAPTER XII
2[THE KERALA ART AND HERITAGE COMMISSION]
86. Constitution of the Kerala 3[Art and Heritage] Commission.—The Government
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute an 4[Art and Heritage] Commission for
the State to be called the Kerala 5[Art and Heritage] Commission with a view to preserving,
6[conserving], developing and maintaining the aesthetic quality of 7[ landforms, built and
environmental features/specifications, architectural character, and urban scape] within the
State.
87. Members of the Kerala 8[Art and Heritage] Commission.—(1) The Commission
shall consist of a Chairperson and such number of official and non-official members, as
may be prescribed and as the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
appoint and may include persons who, in the opinion of the Government, possess
special knowledge or practical experience in urban and environmental design or architecture
and related subjects.
(2) The Secretary to Government, Local Self Government Department, dealing
with matters relating to town and country planning, shall be the ex-officio Chairperson of
the Kerala 1 [Art and Heritage] Commission and the Chief Town Planner shall be its ex-
officio Member-Secretary.
(3) The term of office, conditions of service and allowances payable to the non-
official members shall be such as may be prescribed.
88. Special invitees to be co-opted.—The Kerala 2[Art and Heritage] Commission
may co-opt persons who have special knowledge in the subjects mentioned in sub-section (1)
of section 87 as permanent or special invitees to the Commission, for specific purposes.
89. Appointment of sub-committees by the Kerala 3[Art and Heritage] Commission.
— For the purpose of assisting the Kerala 4[Art and Heritage] Commission in exercising
such of its powers, discharging such of its duties or performing such of its functions as may
be specified by it, the Kerala 5[Art and Heritage] Commission may constitute one or more
sub-committees with any member or special invitee of the Kerala 6[Art and Heritage]
Commission and Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned, and/or officials of other Departments or quasi-
Government agencies concerned, as may be deemed necessary.
90. Technical Secretariat of the Kerala 7 [ Art and Heritage] Commission.—The Office
of the Chief Town Planner shall function as the Technical Secretariat of the Kerala 8[Art and
Heritage] Commission and in order to enable to perform the functions of the Kerala 9 [ Art
and Heritage] Commission under this Act, the Government may provide such additional
officers and staff, as it may consider necessary.
91. Functions of the Kerala Art and Heritage Commission.—(1) It shall be the general
duty of the Kerala Art and Heritage Commission to advise the Government in matters related
to preserving, 10[conserving], developing and maintaining the aesthetic quality of urban and
environmental design within the State and to provide advice and guidance to any Municipal
Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat in respect of any
project of building operations or engineering operations or any development proposal which
affects or is likely to affect the sky-line or the aesthetic quality of surroundings or any public
amenity provided therein.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Inserted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Kerala 1[Art and Heritage ]
Commission may scrutinise, approve or modify proposals in respect of projects referred to it
by the Government, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town Panchayat, Village
Panchayat or any Government Department or quasi-Government agency.
(3) Subject to the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
Remains Act, 1958 (Central Act 24 of 1958) and the Kerala Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1968 (26 of 1969) the Kerala Art and Heritage
Commission may,—
(i) identify buildings and precincts which require conservation and prepare or get
prepared list of such buildings and precincts and grade them;
(ii) inspect sites, buildings and structures thereon and conduct studies, surveys and
documentation for listing and status monitoring of buildings, precincts from time to time,
through any person or agency authorised by the Kerala 2 [Art and Heritage] Commission;
(iii) conduct or get conducted detailed studies, surveys and documentation for
formulation of model Plans and development controls in respect of any such building or
precinct listed by the Kerala 3[Art and Heritage] Commission, zones which require urban
design control identified in any Plan under this Act;
(iv) prescribe any architectural style or character or feature to any such building
or precinct or zone identified in any Plan under this Act;
(v) submit Annual reports to the Government on matters pertaining to
performance and activities carried out by the Kerala 4 [Art and Heritage] Commission and
matters related thereto;
(vi) take measures for creating public awareness on the importance of urban
and environmental design and matters related thereto;
(vii) advise the Government or the Local Self Government Institutions concerned
on any subject mentioned above and referred to it;
(viii) attend to any such other matter, as may be prescribed.
92. Services of the Government Departments etc., to the Kerala 5[Art and Heritage]
Commission.—The Kerala 6[Art and Heritage] Commission may, for carrying out any of its
functions, obtain the services of Government Departments, quasi-Government agencies,
Local Self Government Institutions, consultants or experts.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
93. Meetings of the Kerala 1[Art and Heritage] Commission.—The Kerala 2[Art and
Heritage] Commission shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such procedure,
as may be prescribed.
94. Fund for the Kerala 3[Art and Heritage] Commission.—A separate fund shall be
created for carrying out the objectives of the Kerala 4[Art and Heritage] Commission, which
shall be kept at the disposal of the Kerala 5[Art and Heritage] Commission.
95. Removal of non-official members of the 6[State Town and Country Planning
Committee], the Development Authority and the Kerala 7[Art and Heritage] Commission.—
(1) The Government may, by order, remove from office any non-official member of the
8[State Town and Country Planning Committee] and the Kerala 9 [Art and Heritage]
Commission, if he—
(a) has been adjudged as an insolvent; or
(b) has been convicted of an offence, which in the opinion of the Government,
involves moral turpitude; or
(c) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as Chairperson or
member; or
(d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect
prejudicially his function; or
(e) has not attended three consecutive meetings of the Commission without
obtaining prior permission from the Commission.
(f) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicial to
the public interest.
(2) No such member shall be removed under clauses (d), (e) and (f) of sub-section
(1) unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter.
96. Power of Government to make regulations.—The Government shall have power to
make regulations for ensuring performance of the functions of the Kerala 1 0 [Art and
Heritage] Commission as provided in this Act.
CHAPTER XIII
FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
10. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
97. Planning and Development Fund.—(1) Every Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat, Village Panchayat or Development Authority shall
maintain a separate fund called Planning and Development Fund for the purposes of this
Act, to which shall be credited,—
(a) any sum of money received from the Government or any other State, National
or International agency by way of grants, loans, advances, or otherwise for the performance
of functions under this Act;
(b) all development charges or 1[other charges or fines or fees] received under this
Act or rules made thereunder;
(c) contributions from the fund of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned;
(d) any sum of money borrowed under Section 110 from the market, with the
approval of Government by way of debentures, bonds and other means in the manner
prescribed;
(e) any sum of money earned from remunerative projects by way of rent or
otherwise and disposal of its assets; and
(f) any other sum of money received by the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned from any other source
for performing its functions under this Act.
(2) The Planning and Development Fund shall be applied towards meeting the
following expenses, namely:—
(a) the expenditure incurred in the administration of this Act;
(b) the cost of acquisition of land in the local planning area for purposes of
planned development under this Act;
(c) the expenditure for infrastructure development and development of land
in the local planning area as envisaged in the Plans under this Act;
(d) any expenses incurred by the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council,
Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned in connection with preparation of Plans
under this Act; and
(e) the expenditure for such other purposes not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act.
98. 2[xxxx]
99. 3[xxxx]
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
100. Accounts and Audit.—(1) The 1[State Town and Country Planning Committee], the
District Planning Committees, the Metropolitan Planning Committees, the Development
Authorities, the Municipal Corporations, the Municipal Councils, the Town Panchayats and
the Village Panchayats shall maintain proper accounts 2[and proper records in respect of
accounts] maintained by them under this Act and prepare an annual statement of accounts
in such form as may be prescribed.
3[(2) The accounts maintained under sub-section (1) shall be subject to all audit
procedures in force in the Government.]
(3) All the accounts and other records of the 4 [ State Town and Country Planning
Committee] shall be made available to the auditor for the purpose of the audit.
(4) The Government shall cause the audit report to be laid, as soon as may be,
after they are received, before the Legislative Assembly.
101. Annual Reports.—(1) The 5 [ State Town and Country Planning Committee] shall
prepare for each financial year a report of its activities, in the previous financial year and
submit the report to the Government in such form and on or before such date as may be
prescribed.
(2) Every Local Self Government Institution and Development Authority shall prepare
every year a report on its activities relating to the implementation of the Plans under this Act
for each financial year, clearly specifying sector wise physical targets achieved along with
relevant financial statements and 6[provide] the report to the District Planning Committee and
Metropolitan Planning Committee, if any, which shall consolidate such reports and 7[provide]
a consolidated report to the 8[Government], in such form and on or before such date as
may be prescribed.
CHAPTER XIV
SUPPLEMENTAL AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
102. Power of entry.—For the purpose of making or execution of any Plan, 9[the State
Town and Country Planning Committee], the District Planning Committees, the Metropolitan
Planning Committees, the Chief Town Planner, the Development Authorities, the Joint
Planning Committees, the Municipal Corporations, the Municipal Councils, the Town
Panchayats or the Village Panchayats or persons appointed or authorised by them or by the
Government shall have the same power to enter upon, survey and set up marks on property
and to do all acts necessary for such purposes, subject to the same conditions and
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
8. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
9. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
restrictions, as the Secretary of a Municipality and the officers authorised by him have in
respect of the powers under the enactment relating to the Municipalities for the time
being in force.
103. Penalty for obstructing implementation.—Whoever,—
(a) obstructs any person engaged or employed by the 1 [State Town and Country
Planning Committee] or the District Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning
Committee or the Development Authority or the Joint Planning Committee or the Local Self
Government Institution or any person with whom the 2[State Town and Country Planning
Committee] or the District Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee or
the Development Authority or the Joint Planning Committee or the Local Self Government
Institution has entered into a contract, in the performance or execution by such person of his
duty or of anything which he is empowered or required to do under this Act; or
(b) removes any mark set up for the purpose of indicating any level or direction
necessary for the execution of works authorised under this Act, shall on conviction be
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two months or with fine which
may extend to five thousand rupees or with both.
104. Compounding of offences.—(1) Any person authorised in this behalf by general or
special order by the commission or the District Planning Committee, or the Metropolitan
Planning Committee or the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town
Panchayat or the Village Panchayat concerned, may either before or after the institution of
the proceedings, compound any offence made punishable by or under this Act.
(2) When an offence has been compounded, the offender, if in custody, shall be
discharged and no further proceedings shall be taken against him in respect of the offence
compounded.
105. Trial of Offences.—No court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the First Class
shall try an offence punishable under this Act.
106. Fine realised to be paid to the 3[account] of the authority concerned.—All
fines realised in connection with prosecution under this Act shall be paid to the 4[account]
of the 5[State Town and Country Planning Committee], 6[xxxx] the Development Authority,
the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the Village
Panchayat, as the case may be, in the manner prescribed.
107. Jurisdiction of Civil Courts barred.—Save as otherwise expressly provided in
this Act, every order passed or direction or notice issued by the Government or the 7[State
Town and Country Planning Committee], the Chief Town Planner, the District Planning
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Omitted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
7. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
Committee, the Metropolitan Planning Committee, the Municipal Corporation, the
Municipal Council, the Town Panchayat or the Village Panchayat, as the case may be,
under this Act shall be final. No Civil Court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit,
legal proceedings challenging the legality or propriety of any order made or action taken
under this Act.
108. Validation of acts and proceedings.—No act done or proceeding taken under
this Act shall be questioned on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy of a
member in the 1[State Town and Country Planning Committee], the District Planning
Committee, the Metropolitan Planning Committee, the Development Authority, the
Joint Planning Committee, the Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Council, the Town
Panchayat, the Village Panchayat concerned or the Kerala 2 [ Art and Heritage] Commission.
109. Power to delegate.—(1) The 3[State Town and Country Planning Committee] or
the District Planning Committee or the Metropolitan Planning Committee may, by a
resolution, direct that any power exercisable by it under this Act or rules made thereunder
may also be exercised by any Local Self Government Institution or by any officer of the
4[State Town and Country Planning Committee], the District Planning Committee, the
Metropolitan Planning Committee, the Government or the Development Authority or the
Local Self Government Institution, as mentioned therein, in such cases and subject to such
conditions, if any, as may be specified therein.
(2) A Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat may by a resolution direct that any power exercisable by it
under this Act, or rules made thereunder, except the power to prepare a master plan, Detailed
Town Planning Scheme or land pooling scheme or to make regulations, may also be
exercised by any of its officers or officers of the Government, in such cases and
subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified therein.
(3) The delegation of any power to an officer of the Government under sub-
section (1) or sub-section (2) shall not be made without prior sanction of the Government.
110. 5[Power of the Development Authority to borrow money].—6[A Development
Authority] may, from time to time, borrow at such rate of interest and for such period and
upon such terms, as the Government may approve, any sum of money required for efficient
performance of the functions assigned to it under this Act and the rules made thereunder,
subject to the provisions in the Kerala Local Authorities Loans Act, 1963 (30 of 1963) and the
rules made thereunder.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 o f 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
111. Control 1[by the Government etc].—(1) The 2 [ State Town and Country Planning
Committee], the Chief Town Planner, the District Officers of the 3[Local Self Government
Department (Planning)] of the Government, the District Planning Committees, the
Metropolitan Planning Committees, the Development Authorities, the Joint Planning
Committees, the Local Self Government Institutions and the Secretaries of the Local Self
Government Institutions shall carry out such directions, as may be issued to them, from
time to time, by the Government for the efficient administration of this Act.
(2) In case of any dispute in connection with the exercise of its powers and
discharge of its functions by the 4[State Town and Country Planning Committee] or any
District Planning Committee, Metropolitan Planning Committee, Development Authority,
Joint Planning Committee or Local Self Government Institution under this Act, the decision
of the Government on such disputes shall be final.
(3) The Government shall extend assistance to the District Planning Committees, the
Metropolitan Planning Committees, the Joint Planning Committees and the Local Self
Government Institutions in the preparation of Plans by them, by sharing data, rendering
service of officers and the like.
112. Power to make rules.—(1) The Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(2) Any 5[rule] made under this Act, may provide that a breach thereof shall be
punishable, with fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees, and in case of continuing breach,
with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees for every day during which the breach
continues after first conviction.
(3) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such
rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the manner in which the use of the land and development therein shall be
carried out in a plan, supported by maps and reports and the notifications to be issued and
the procedure to be followed in the preparation and sanction as well as subsequent review,
revision and revocation of a Plan under this Act;
(b) the functions other than those provided for in section 4 to be performed by
the State Town and Country Planning Committee;
(c) the term of office, conditions of service and the allowances payable to the non-
official members of the State Town and Country Planning Committee and Development
Authority;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(d) the manner in which the notice of the publication of a draft spatial perspective
plan under sub-section (3) of section 9, and a draft detailed Town Planning Scheme under
sub-section (1) of section 46 are to be notified;
(e) the terms and conditions of service of the officers and staff of the
department of Town and Country Planning and the Development Authority;
(f) the procedure to be followed in the meetings of the Joint Planning Committee;
(g) the terms and conditions of service of the staff of the Development
Authority;
(h) the manner in which working groups are to be constituted;
(i) matters in respect of which building operations may be prohibited or regulated
through interim development order under section 63;
(j) the manner in which the permission for development or change of use of land
is to be given by the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat;
(k) the form of application for permission for land development and the
particulars to be contained therein, the documents, fees and plans to accompany such
forms;
(l) the manner in which the order of granting permission subject to conditions
and refusal of permission for land development, is to be communicated to the applicant;
(m) documents and plans to accompany the intimation to carry out land
development in the case of Central or State Government or Quasi- government Institutions,
to be given to the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town
Panchayat or Village Panchayat;
(n) the time and manner in which a notice is to be served by the owner of a
land which is designated for compulsory acquisition in a plan sanctioned, but could not be
acquired, requiring the Government or Quasi-government Agency, the Municipal Corporation,
Municipal Council, Town Panchayat or Village Panchayat concerned to purchase the interest
in the land;
(o) additional officers and staff to be appointed by the Government to ensure
that the powers specified in sections 68 and 69 are exercised;
(p) the procedure to be followed for the preparation, publication and sanction of
the Land Pooling Scheme;
(q) the manner in which land is to be acquired for public purposes by way of
according transferable development right;
(r) the manner in which land is to be acquired by way of accommodation
reservation;
(s) the manner of assessment and recovery of rates of development charges;
(t) land to be exempted from the levy of development charges;
(u) the amount of user fee to be levied, the manner of assessment and
collection;
(v) terms and conditions subject to which user fee shall be collected from
beneficiaries;
(w) the form in which and the date on which the annual report of the State
Town and Country Planning Committee, shall be prepared;
(v) the form in which and the date on which the annual report of a Local Self
Government Institution is to be prepared and submitted to the District Planning Committee or
the Metropolitan Planning Committee as the case may be;
(w) the term of office, conditions of service and the allowances payable to the non-
official members of the Kerala 1[Art and Heritage] Commission;
(x) the time and place of meeting of the Kerala 2[Art and Heritage] Commission and
the procedure with regard to transaction of its business;
(aa) the manner in which a separate 3[account] shall be created for the Kerala 4 [Art
and Heritage] Commission;
(ab) the manner in which money may be borrowed by 5[Development Authorities]
under section 110;
(ac) the form in which annual statement of accounts is to be prepared by the State
Town and Country Planning Committee, District Planning Committee, Metropolitan Planning
Committee, Development Authority and Local Self Government Institutions;
(ad) the form of preparation of annual statement of accounts;
(ae) the form in which and the date within which annual reports are to be
prepared by the State Town and Country Planning Committee and Local Self Government
Institutions;
(af) the manner in which the fine realized in connection with prosecution is to
be paid to the 6 [ account] of the authority concerned.
(ag) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
6. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(4) Every 1[rule] made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is
made, before the Legislative Assembly, while it is in session for a total period of fourteen
days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before
the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, the
Legislative Assembly makes any modification in the 2[rule] or decides that the 3[rule] should
not be made, the 4[rule] shall, thereafter, have effect only in such modified form or be of no
effect, as the case may be; so however that any such modification or annulment shall be
without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that 5 [ rule].
113. Repeal and saving.—(1) With effect on and from the commencement of this Act,
the Town Planning Act, 1108 ME (Act IV of 1108 ME), the Travancore Town and Country
Planning Act, 1120 (Act XXI of 1120 ME), the Madras Town Planning Act, 1920 (Madras Act
VII of 1920) and the Kerala Town and Country Planning Ordinance, 2016 (4 of 2016) shall
stand repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal,—
(i) any draft General Town Planning Scheme for an area including Master Plan or
Development Plan or a draft Detailed Town Planning Scheme published under the repealed
Acts shall be deemed to be a draft Master Plan or a draft Detailed Town Planning Scheme, as
the case may be, published under this Act;
(ii) any General Town Planning Scheme for an area including Master Plan or
Development Plan or a Detailed Town Planning Scheme sanctioned under the repealed Acts
shall be deemed to be a Master Plan or a Detailed Town Planning Scheme, as the case may be,
sanctioned under this Act;
(iii) any appointment, rules, bye-laws, regulations or forms made, notifications,
notice, order, scheme or direction issued, tax, fee, fine or other penalty imposed, license,
permission or exemption granted or plans prepared under the repealed enactments and in
force at such commencement, shall in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act, continue to be in force as if made, issued, imposed or granted, as the case may
be, under the provisions of this Act, until superseded, amended or modified by any
appointment, rules, bye-laws or regulations, notifications, notice, order, scheme, direction,
tax, fee, fine or other penalty, license, permission or exemption made, issued, imposed, or
granted or plans prepared, as the case may be, under this Act;
(iv) the Committees in office at the commencement of this Act appointed by the
Government to exercise the powers and perform the functions under the repealed Acts shall
continue as if it were Committees constituted under the said Acts, till corresponding
Committees are constituted under this Act or they are dissolved by the Government,
whichever occurs earlier;
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
3. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
4. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
5. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
(v) any tax, cess, fee, fine, surcharge or other amount due to the Government, the
Development Authorities or the Local Self Government Institutions at such commencement
shall, without prejudice to any action already taken under the repealed enactments, be
recoverable under this Act in accordance with the provisions therein as if they were due
under the provisions of this Act;
(vi) all contracts entered into and all instruments executed under the repealed Acts
shall be deemed to have been entered into or executed under this Act;
(vii) in all suits and legal proceedings pending at such commencement in
which the officers of the 1[Local Self Government Department (Planning)] are parties the
corresponding officers under this Act shall be deemed to have been substituted;
(viii) the officers and employees in the service of the 2[Local Self Government
Department (Planning)] in office at such commencement shall be deemed to have been
transferred to the services of the corresponding department constituted under this Act;
(ix) any Development Authority constituted under the repealed enactments and in
office at such commencement shall be deemed to be a Development Authority constituted
under this Act. Such Development Authorities shall continue in office till such time as the
Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute Development Authorities
under this Act.
(3) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Kerala Town and Country Planning Ordinance,
2016 (4 of 2016) anything done or deemed to have been done or any action taken or
deemed to have been taken under the said Ordinance shall be deemed to have been done
or taken under this Act.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no person alleged to have
committed an offence, during the period from the 21st day of July, 2015 to the 17th day
of September, 2015 is liable to be convicted under this Act.
1. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
2. Substituted by Act 33 of 2021 (w.e.f. 25.02.2021).
ACT 9 OF 2016