(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, —
(a) "building rules, regulations and bye-laws" means rules, regulations and bye-laws made
under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 (Tamil Nadu Act IV of 1919)
(Tamil Nadu Act 1 of 1891), the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 (Tamil Nadu
Act V of 1920) and the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994) as
the case may be, relating to buildings;
(b) "Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area" means the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area,
specified under clause (23-a) of section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning
Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972);
(c) "detailed development plan" means a detailed development plan approved under the
Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972), in
respect of any area covered under the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area;
(d) "Development Control Rules" means the Development Control Rules for Chennai
Metropolitan Planning Area;
(e) "Government" means the State Government;
(f) "local authority" means the Chennai City Municipal Corporation established under the
Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 (Tamil Nadu Act IV of 1919) or
Municipalities or Town Panchayats (within Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area)
established under the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 (Tamil Nadu Act V of
1920) or Panchayat Unions or Village Panchayats (within Chennai Metropolitan Planning
Area) established under the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of
1994) or the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority constituted under the Tamil
Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972), legally entitled
to exercise control in respect of the areas under their respective jurisdictions;
(g) "Master Plan" means the Master Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area, published
under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of
1972);
(h) "public street" means public street as defined in clause (37) of section 2 of the Tamil
Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972);
(i) "punitive action" means action taken by local authority within Chennai Metropolitan
Planning Area under the relevant law against unauthorized development and shall
include demolition, whether in pursuance of court orders or otherwise;
(j) "relevant law" means in case of—
(i) the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the Tamil Nadu Town and
Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972);
(ii) the Chennai City Municipal Corporation, the Chennai City Municipal Corporation
Act, 1919 (Tamil Nadu Act IV of 1919);
(iii) the Municipalities and Town Panchayats, the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities
Act, 1920 (Tamil Nadu Act V of 1920); and
(iv) the Panchayat Unions and Village Panchayats, the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act,
1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994);
(k) "unauthorized development" means use of any land or any building or construction of
any building carried out,-
(i) in deviation from any planning permission or building permit; or
(ii) without obtaining any planning permission or building permit; or
(iii) in contravention of the land use zoning under the Master Plan or any approved
detailed development plan; or
(iv) in contravention of the Development Control Rules for Chennai Metropolitan
Planning Area, building rules, regulations, bye-laws applicable to areas within the
Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area;
and includes unauthorized occupation by hawkers and street vendors in the public street and by
the people in the slum area.
(2) The words and expressions used but not defined herein shall have the meanings
respectively assigned to them in the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil
Nadu Act 35 of 1972), the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 (Tamil Nadu Act IV of
1919), the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920 (Tamil Nadu Act V of 1920) and the
Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994).