State sets 7-day deadline for land use clearance to speed up dev approvals

Kolkata: The Bengal government has moved to streamline the process of land conversion and development permission by setting clear timelines and responsibilities for different agencies, government sources said.

According to officials, the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department has instructed all statutory planning bodies to issue land use compatibility replies within seven working days whenever approached by land reforms authorities. This step, sources explained, is meant to prevent delays and overlapping procedures in granting approval and to bring greater accountability into the system.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of growing demand for urban expansion and organised development across the state. At present, land conversion under Section 4C of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955, often requires verification of whether the proposed use is compatible with the Land Use and Development Control Plan (LUDCP). Such verification is generally sought by land officers like Block Land and Land Reforms Officers (BL&LROs) from the relevant planning agency before further steps are taken.

Officials clarified that while these agencies will now provide confirmation on permissible land use, the exercise is intended only for interdepartmental communication. For actual construction or development, individuals, companies and organisations will still have to secure formal clearance from the concerned authority under the Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979, after paying the requisite fees.

Sources said the move is aimed at ensuring faster, predictable and more transparent handling of applications. “By fixing a seven-day window, the government wants to avoid uncertainty and make the process more business-friendly for landowners while also helping officials take quicker decisions,” one official explained.

The state government has further directed that if land officers send such queries directly to the Urban Development department, these should be forwarded to the competent planning authority instead of being handled centrally.

Officials believe the step will strengthen coordination between departments, reduce “red tape” and provide clarity to those seeking to utilise land in line with statutory planning norms.