A 14-year-old rule that bars Hyderabad building permission for residential plots less than 20 ft wide has led to protests in the city. Telangana's online approval system, BuildNow, had started rejecting such applications automatically.
After the backlash, officials of the municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department say the software now accepts applications for old buildings that need reconstruction. Permission will depend on a site inspection, according to a Times of India report published by ET Realty on 9 November.
Hyderabad building permission: what the 20-ft rule says
The rule is part of GO 168, the common building rules Telangana issued in April 2012. It sets building heights, road widths, setbacks and other limits in areas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and other urban local bodies.
GO 168 does not allow building permission for residential plots less than 20 ft wide. Officials said the clause was meant to stop larger plots being split into smaller ones and to prevent haphazard development.
For years, town planning officials did not strictly enforce the clause. After a series of building collapses, the state changed the BuildNow software a few months ago to reject applications automatically where the plot's road-facing width was less than 20 ft.
Old City homeowners hit hardest
The change hit owners of small plots in the Old City and other older neighbourhoods hardest. Many houses there stand on plots of just 60 to 70 sq yards, with road-facing widths below 20 ft, and owners could no longer apply to rebuild them.
Realtors and residents say the rule hurts economically weaker and middle-class families who cannot afford larger plots, Siasat reported. Officials counter that very narrow plots lead to unsafe buildings, narrow lanes and poor drainage, and say a minimum width of about six metres is needed for workable rooms and services.
A senior MAUD official said some developers had been splitting plots to get around the "mortgage rule" that applies to plots larger than 200 sq m. Broadly, under that rule part of the built-up area is pledged to the local body as a guarantee that the building will follow the approved plan.
The partial relief
"The govt has made the necessary changes in the BuildNow software, and we are now allowing applications for such plots as well," said K Pradeep Kumar, chief city planner of the Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation.
Officials said town planners have been told to inspect sites before granting permission and to take a more flexible approach to old buildings. The Telangana Realtors' Association president said that although the government allows houses on plots of 75 sq yards to be built without setbacks, officials have not been granting such permissions.
What it means for you
If you own an old house on a narrow plot in Hyderabad and plan to rebuild, apply through BuildNow and expect a site visit before any approval. Keep your old ownership documents and any earlier sanctioned plan ready to show the house already exists.
If you plan to buy a small plot, check its road-facing width before paying. A plot less than 20 ft wide may be hard to build on, and that should be reflected in the price you pay.
Sources
- ET Realty: Hyderabad: 20-ft plot width restriction sparks protests; government eases permissions for old buildings — published 9 November 2026.
- Siasat: A strict 14-year-old building rule irks Hyderabad realtors — published 8 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get building permission in Hyderabad for a plot less than 20 feet wide?
GO 168 of 2012 bars permission for residential plots less than 20 ft wide. After protests, officials say BuildNow now accepts such applications, especially for rebuilding old houses, but approval depends on a site inspection.
What is GO 168 in Telangana?
GO 168, issued in April 2012, sets common building rules for areas under GHMC, HMDA and other urban local bodies, covering building heights, road widths, setbacks and other parameters.
Why was the 20-ft plot width rule enforced in Hyderabad?
Officials said it followed a series of building collapses and was meant to curb unauthorised multi-storey construction and the subdivision of larger plots.