10 UDCPR · 10.1 UDCPR 2020: definitions and permission procedure
10.1.1 UDCPR 2020: policy history, applicability (Reg 1.1), structure and removal of difficulties (Reg 1.10)
The Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) replaced dozens of separate building rules with one set for almost every Planning Authority and Regional Plan area in Maharashtra, except Greater Mumbai and a short list of special areas.
- MPSC ATP
- Standard level
- 10 min read
- Free
Core facts
- Full name: Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations for Maharashtra (Reg 1.0). Short form: UDCPR.
- Sanctioned by the State Government under s.37(1AA)(c) (Development Plans) and s.20(4) (Regional Plans) of the MRTP Act, 1966, by notification dated 2 December 2020.
- Directives under s.154 of the MRTP Act were issued the same day.
- Reg 1.2 – Commencement: in force from the date of the notification in the Official Gazette. All earlier DCRs and special regulations then cease to operate.
- Reg 1.1 – Extent: all Planning Authorities and Regional Plan areas except:
- Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), and other Planning, Special Planning or Development Authorities within MCGM limits
- MIDC, NAINA, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT)
- Hill Station Municipal Councils, and the Chikhaldara notified area (added in 2021)
- Eco-sensitive / eco-fragile regions notified by MoEF&CC
- Lonavala Municipal Council
- Reg 1.1(ii): UDCPR also applies in Town Planning Scheme areas. Permission may still be granted fully under the TPS's own regulations.
- Reg 1.10 – Removal of difficulties: the State Government, by order in the Official Gazette. No such order after one year from commencement.
- 15 chapters plus Appendices A to M.
Explained
Chapter plan of the UDCPR
| Chapter | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1 | Administration (title, extent, definitions, savings) |
| 2 | Development permission and commencement certificate |
| 3 | General land development requirements (sites, access, layouts, open space, amenity, inclusive housing) |
| 4 | Land use classification and permissible uses |
| 5 | Additional provisions for Regional Plan areas |
| 6 | General building requirements: setback, marginal distance, height, permissible FSI |
| 7 | Higher FSI for certain uses |
| 8 | Parking, loading and unloading spaces |
| 9 | Requirements of parts of buildings |
| 10 | City-specific regulations |
| 11 | Acquisition and development of reserved sites (AR, TDR, RCC) |
| 12 | Structural safety, water supply, drainage, sanitation, outdoor display |
| 13 | Special provisions for certain buildings (barrier-free access and others) |
| 14 | Special schemes (ITP, TOD, PMAY, slum rehabilitation, urban renewal and others; tourism added as 14.14 in 2026) |
| 15 | Regulations for special activities / plans (quarrying, mobile towers and others; in-building telecom infrastructure added as 15.5 in 2025) |
Who is the "Authority"? (Reg 1.3, definition 14)
| Area | Authority |
|---|---|
| Municipal Corporation | Municipal Commissioner (or officer he appoints) |
| Municipal Council | Chief Officer |
| Zilla Parishad | Chief Executive Officer |
| SPA, New Town or Area Development Authority | Chief Executive Officer |
| Metropolitan Region Development Authority | Metropolitan Commissioner |
| Regional Plan area | Collector of the District |
| Gaothan (s.2(10) MLRC) | Village Panchayat |
Reg 1.4 – Applicability
- Applies to development, redevelopment, erection, re-erection, change of user and additions or alterations.
- Part construction: only to the extent of the work involved.
- Change of occupancy: to all parts of the building affected by the change.
- Sub-division or amalgamation: to the whole area under layout. If an existing layout is altered, only to the altered part.
- Revised permission: allowed if third-party interests are not harmed (consent under RERA where needed). The old plans are stamped "SUPERSEDED".
- Exclusions: a lawfully established existing use may continue unless the building is unsafe.
Reg 1.5 – Savings
- Permissions granted, or proposals on which action was taken, under the old rules stay valid.
- "Action taken" includes a letter demanding development and other charges after in-principle approval.
- An old permission lapses if work has not started and it is not renewed within its one-year validity. Renewals are year to year, up to three years in all.
- The owner may (a) finish the project under the old rules in toto, or (b) seek revised permission under UDCPR while the occupancy certificate is not fully granted. Charges already paid are adjusted; no refund.
- Minor amendments at occupancy stage: internal changes and up to 5% change in built-up area or dimensions per floor, within the FSI then permissible.
Common traps
- ✗ "UDCPR applies to the whole of Maharashtra including Mumbai." ✓ MCGM is excluded; Greater Mumbai has its own regulations. MIDC, NAINA, JNPT, hill station councils, Lonavala and notified eco-sensitive regions are also excluded.
- ✗ "UDCPR does not apply in Town Planning Scheme areas." ✓ It does apply (Reg 1.1(ii)); permission may still be given wholly under the TPS regulations.
- ✗ "UDCPR was sanctioned under s.31 of the MRTP Act." ✓ Under s.37(1AA)(c) and s.20(4), notification of 2 December 2020.
- ✗ "Removal of difficulties orders can be issued by the Director of Town Planning at any time." ✓ By the State Government, by Gazette order, within one year of commencement (Reg 1.10).
- ✗ "In a Regional Plan area the Authority is the Divisional Joint Director of Town Planning." ✓ It is the Collector. In a gaothan it is the Village Panchayat.
- ✗ "If English and Marathi versions differ, Marathi prevails." ✓ The English version prevails (Reg 1.9(vii)).
Quick revision
- UDCPR sanctioned 2 December 2020 under MRTP s.37(1AA)(c) and s.20(4).
- Reg 1.1 exclusions: MCGM, MIDC, NAINA, JNPT, hill station councils, Chikhaldara, eco-sensitive regions, Lonavala.
- Applies in TPS areas too, without barring TPS-based permission.
- Reg 1.2: in force from Gazette date; old DCRs cease.
- Authority: Commissioner (MC), Chief Officer (Council), Collector (RP area), Village Panchayat (gaothan).
- Reg 1.5: old permissions saved; lapse if not renewed in one year; renewals up to three years.
- Reg 1.8: premium uses ASR of the year of permission.
- Reg 1.9: State Government's interpretation is final; English prevails.
- Reg 1.10: State Government, Gazette order, within one year.
- 15 chapters; Appendices A to M.
Go deeper: Deeper, Mains writing (beyond what MPSC ATP usually asks)
Deeper Advanced
- Why "promotion"? Older DCRs only controlled. The UDCPR also promotes development through premium FSI, TDR loading, ancillary FSI and incentive FSI, all linked to road width.
- Legal route. The State used its own power to modify plans:
- s.37(1AA): the State Government may itself modify a final Development Plan, if the change does not alter the plan's character. Notice for objections, hearing, then notification under clause (c).
- s.20(3)–(4): the parallel route for modifying a Regional Plan.
- The UDCPR is therefore legally a modification of every DP and RP to which it applies.
- Later changes. The text has been amended many times: notifications under s.37(1AA)(c) and s.20(4) (16 June 2021, 2 December 2021 and later), addenda and corrigenda under Reg 1.10, and directives under s.154. One notable directive (1 March 2024) dealt with applying the UDCPR in Ratnagiri district. The consolidated text used here is updated to 30 January 2025.
- 2025–26 amendments. Final notifications (in force from Gazette publication) include: MHADA premium option on any plot size (7.4.2(iii), May 2025); slum rehabilitation extended to 8 MMR Councils and Boisar, with clubbing (14.7, Aug 2025); in-building digital communication infrastructure (new 15.5, Sept 2025); tourism projects (new 14.14, Feb 2026); Integrated Sports Complex (Table 6-E Sr.No.9, Apr 2026). Several others are in force by s.154 directive pending final sanction: TDR Note (v) (Oct 2025), Navi Mumbai 10.10 (Oct 2025), URS age criterion 14.8.1 (Jan 2026), TOD fund 14.2.1.15 (Feb 2026), Bharat Mandapam (Apr 2026) and inclusive housing / ITP social housing without MHADA (3.8.2, 14.1.1.9, Aug 2026).
- Reg 1.6 – Other regulations still apply: CRZ notifications of 2011 and 2019; Western Ghats eco-sensitive area notifications; any other Act or rule.
- Reg 1.7–1.8: the Authority may prescribe proformas (Appendices A to M) with Government approval. Charges and premium rates may be changed by Government. Where premium depends on the ASR, the ASR of the year of granting permission is used.
- Reg 1.9 – Interpretation:
- Undefined terms take the meaning in the MRTP Act, the Municipal Corporations Act, the NBC and related laws.
- Dimensions are clear dimensions.
- A dispute on interpretation goes to the State Government, whose decision is final and binding.
- If the Marathi and English versions conflict, the English version prevails.
Mains writing Mains writing
- Frame: one rulebook for the State is a reform for ease of doing business and predictable land supply. It also centralises planning power with the State.
- Gains:
- same FSI and margin rules from a Nagar Panchayat to a large Municipal Corporation
- FSI linked to road width, so density follows infrastructure
- risk-based approvals for small plots and online permission
- fewer free-of-FSI items, replaced by the P-line and ancillary FSI
- Concerns:
- one size may not fit hill towns, coastal and heritage areas (hence the exclusions and Chapter 10 city-specific rules)
- frequent amendments by notification reduce certainty
- local bodies lose discretion; premium revenue is shared with the State
- higher FSI without matching water, sewer and transport capacity
- Way forward: periodic consolidated editions, infrastructure audits before raising FSI, city-specific chapters where local character matters, publication of all permissions online (Reg 2.6.4).
- Example: the same plot on a 30 m road gets maximum potential 3.00 in a Municipal Corporation but 2.50 in a Municipal Council (Table 6-G). Density varies by class of town, not by local discretion.
Practise this topic. Questions on UDCPR, with answers explained.
All UDCPR 2020: definitions and permission procedure notes · MPSC ATP syllabus · MPSC ATP Mock Test 1 with answers · Start free
Medha AI writes its own notes and checks them against the sources listed. Medha AI is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to APPSC, TSPSC, MPSC, UPSC or any other commission or government body.