Q251. Permit to build house in India

Question: Dear Sir, I have Property in India, which I have bought before getting the foreign Citizenship. I am OCI holder and staying in India now. Can I build a House as OCI holder on that property? Which documents are necessary for getting the construction plan sanctioned (in addition to the architectural plans)? regards Peter Cherian

Answer: You can build a house in India and need to follow the same guidelines applicable to local Indian citizens. Basically, you will need to get a building permit from the Municipal Corporation of the city you reside in and get your architectural plan passed by the appropriate authority. Approval for residential plots up to 500 square meters is faster than commercial building permit approvals of larger sizes. If you are in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation has a booklet guide called 'Build Your House With a Valid Building Permit' Might be easier to contract the work out and save yourself a lot of hassles dealing with construction labor in India. Building permits once issued are normally valid for 5 years but this time may vary depending on the city you are building in.