Tamil Nadu's apartment law lacks teeth sans rules

18 Mar 2024 CW Team

The Bill introducing the Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 2022, was presented by S Muthusamy, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, in the assembly in 2022. President Droupadi Murmu assented to the repeal and re-enactment of the Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 1994, on December 15, 2022.

According to a gazette notification issued by the state housing and urban development department, the Act was scheduled to come into effect on March 6. However, its implementation remains ineffective due to the absence of rules, even more than a year after receiving assent.

It was expected that rules would accompany the notification. Sections concerning redevelopment and the functioning of apartment associations, among others, will remain ineffective until the issuance of guidelines, stated urban planning expert K P Subramanian.

The absence of rules has hindered the redevelopment of numerous apartment complexes across the city and state, many of which are over 30 years old. Several buildings in the city are in need of redevelopment. Without the rules, executing these projects will be challenging. We require clarity on the process for advancing the project, especially when faced with opposition from certain sections, explained S Ramaprabhu, chairman of the Builders Association of India committee (municipal and DTCP).

Despite the Act stipulating that permission from two-thirds of residents is adequate for demolishing and redeveloping buildings, there remains ambiguity regarding provisions or legal recourse for residents who oppose such actions. This aspect should be elucidated through rules or guidelines. Without such clarity, developers cannot proceed. No builder will undertake the project unless there is consensus among residents, as the project could face legal challenges, emphasised V S Jayaraman of the T Nagar Residents Welfare Association.

The Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, which was enacted on March 6, 2024, appears ineffective in addressing the redevelopment of apartment complexes. The delay in formulating the associated rules by the government has left buildings awaiting redevelopment uncertain, as there is a lack of clarity regarding the guidelines for the process. The Bill introducing the Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 2022, was presented by S Muthusamy, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, in the assembly in 2022. President Droupadi Murmu assented to the repeal and re-enactment of the Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 1994, on December 15, 2022. According to a gazette notification issued by the state housing and urban development department, the Act was scheduled to come into effect on March 6. However, its implementation remains ineffective due to the absence of rules, even more than a year after receiving assent. It was expected that rules would accompany the notification. Sections concerning redevelopment and the functioning of apartment associations, among others, will remain ineffective until the issuance of guidelines, stated urban planning expert K P Subramanian. The absence of rules has hindered the redevelopment of numerous apartment complexes across the city and state, many of which are over 30 years old. Several buildings in the city are in need of redevelopment. Without the rules, executing these projects will be challenging. We require clarity on the process for advancing the project, especially when faced with opposition from certain sections, explained S Ramaprabhu, chairman of the Builders Association of India committee (municipal and DTCP). Despite the Act stipulating that permission from two-thirds of residents is adequate for demolishing and redeveloping buildings, there remains ambiguity regarding provisions or legal recourse for residents who oppose such actions. This aspect should be elucidated through rules or guidelines. Without such clarity, developers cannot proceed. No builder will undertake the project unless there is consensus among residents, as the project could face legal challenges, emphasised V S Jayaraman of the T Nagar Residents Welfare Association.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..