If you're shopping for a plot around Chennai, you'll see two phrases in almost every advertisement: CMDA approved and DTCP approved. Both mean the layout has been approved by a government planning authority. The difference is which authority, and that depends entirely on where the land is.
Who approves what
| CMDA | DTCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority | Directorate of Town and Country Planning |
| Covers | Chennai Metropolitan Area: the city and parts of Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts | The rest of Tamil Nadu outside CMDA limits |
So a CMDA-approved plot isn't automatically better than a DTCP-approved one. It's simply inside the metropolitan boundary. What matters is that the layout is approved by the right authority for its location.
The government has proposed expanding the Chennai Metropolitan Area several-fold. Until that's fully implemented, check which authority currently covers your village, not which one covered it in an old brochure.
What layout approval actually covers
When a planning authority approves a layout, it has checked that:
- Roads inside the layout meet minimum width requirements.
- Land is reserved for open space and public purposes, and handed over to the local body.
- The plots conform to the master plan's land use for that area.
- Drainage and access arrangements are in place.
Every approved layout carries an approval number printed on the layout plan. Ask the developer for the approved plan, not a marketing map, and check that your plot number appears on it.
Why unapproved plots are risky
- Building permission: local bodies may refuse permission to build a house on a plot in an unapproved layout.
- Bank loans: most banks won't lend for unapproved plots, which also makes them harder to resell.
- Utilities: electricity and water connections can be delayed.
- Regularisation costs: Tamil Nadu has run regularisation schemes for unapproved plots in the past, but they come with fees and conditions. Don't count on one being open when you need it.
Approval vs TNRERA registration
Layout approval and RERA registration are different things. Approval is about planning; TNRERA registration is about the developer's obligations to buyers. Projects above the RERA thresholds (more than 500 square metres of land or more than eight units) must be registered with TNRERA before they're advertised. See how to check a project's TNRERA registration.
How to verify a plot before you pay
- Get the approved layout plan with the approval number and the authority's seal.
- Confirm your plot number is on that plan, with the same dimensions.
- For larger layouts, check TNRERA registration on rera.tn.gov.in.
- Check that the open-space and road areas were gifted to the local body. The gift deed should appear in the EC.
- Run the usual title checks: patta, EC and parent documents. See our land documents checklist.
Use our free Area Unit Converter to translate cents, grounds and acres into square feet when comparing plot prices.