Very few houses get built exactly as first drawn. Halfway through construction you may want an extra room on the first floor, a bigger balcony, a staircase in a different place, or a third floor the budget now allows. In Pune, whether your plot is under PMC, PCMC or PMRDA, such changes are not just a conversation with your contractor. Under Maharashtra’s Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR), a substantial change from the sanctioned plan needs a revised building permission from the planning authority. This guide explains which changes need it, how the process works, and how to avoid problems at the occupancy certificate stage.
Planning a change to your sanctioned plan? WhatsApp us your plot location and the change you have in mind, and we will tell you whether it is likely to need revised approval.
What a revised building permission is
When the authority sanctions your building plans, it approves a specific design: the footprint, margins, floors, built-up area and use. If you want to build something different, you apply again with revised plans. UDCPR allows an earlier development permission to be revised, provided the interests of third parties are not adversely affected. Once the revised permission is granted, the earlier approved plans and commencement certificate are stamped “superseded”, and the revised set becomes the plan your building is checked against.
This matters because the completion and occupancy stage compares what was built with what was sanctioned. A revision obtained at the right time keeps your file clean; an unapproved change can hold up the occupancy certificate, home loans and a future sale.
Which changes need revised approval, and which do not
UDCPR regulation 2.8.5 deals with deviations during construction. In simple terms, a deviation of a substantial nature, whether an internal or an external addition, needs the authority’s sanction through a revised plan, following the same procedure as the original approval. Any work that departs from the sanctioned plans without prior approval is treated as unauthorised.
The same regulation gives one practical relief: changes to the internal layout of a residential or commercial unit are not treated as unauthorised if they do not violate FSI or other regulations. These are shown in the plan submitted with the completion certificate. The table below is a planning guide; whether a particular change is “substantial” depends on your plot and drawings, so confirm with your architect before building it.
| Type of change | What usually applies |
|---|---|
| Moving internal partitions or rearranging rooms within a unit, with no change in FSI and no other rule breached | Not treated as unauthorised under UDCPR 2.8.5; show it in the plan submitted with the completion certificate |
| Adding built-up area, such as an extra room, floor or enclosed balcony | Revised permission before building it, and only if the area fits within the FSI available for your plot |
| Changing the building footprint, position on the plot or side margins | Generally a substantial change; get revised plans sanctioned before construction |
| Adding floors or increasing height | Revised permission needed; height and floor limits depend on the rules that apply to your plot |
| Changes after construction is complete but before the full occupancy certificate | UDCPR allows revised permission at this stage, but only for changes that comply with the regulations |
How the revised approval process works
The steps are broadly the same at PMC, PCMC and PMRDA, though forms and online screens differ. Check the latest procedure for your plot before applying.
- Compare and design: your architect compares the proposed change with the sanctioned plan, checks FSI, margins, height and parking for your plot, and prepares revised drawings.
- Collect documents: the revised plans along with the documents normally needed for building permission, such as ownership papers, the earlier sanction and commencement certificate, and certificates from the licensed professionals.
- Third-party consent where relevant: if others have an interest in the property, for example flat buyers in a building, UDCPR requires their consent for a revised permission that affects them.
- Apply online and pay fees: the proposal is submitted through the authority’s online building permission system. UDCPR applies the scrutiny fee to revised permissions, and where the revision changes chargeable area, additional development charges can apply. Check the current fee schedule with the authority.
- Scrutiny and sanction: the authority scrutinises the revised plans and either sanctions them or raises objections that your architect must answer.
- Build to the revised plan: carry out the changed work only after the revised sanction, and keep the revised drawings on site.
When to apply, and mistakes to avoid
The safest time to seek revised approval is before the changed work starts. Building first and applying later is risky: if the change does not fit the regulations, it cannot be regularised through a revision, and the unapproved portion may have to be altered or removed before you can get your completion or occupancy certificate.
Timing also links to plinth checking. If your change affects the footprint or position of the building, sort it out before the plinth is built, because the plinth is certified against the sanctioned plan. Our guide on plinth checking and the stages of building permission in Pune explains that step.
Common mistakes plot owners make:
- Assuming a “small” change like enclosing a balcony or adding a terrace room is fine. If it adds built-up area, it is usually not an internal layout change.
- Using up all the plot’s FSI in the first plan, leaving no room to add later without a revision that the rules may not allow.
- Letting the contractor build from site sketches instead of the sanctioned drawings.
- Leaving the revision until the occupancy certificate stage, when changes are already built and harder to fix.
How SB Square Projects can help
SB Square Projects has worked on architecture, building permissions and turnkey construction in Pune since 1995. We can review your sanctioned plan against the change you want, tell you whether it is likely to need revised approval, prepare the revised drawings and coordinate the application with the licensed professionals involved. Book a free site visit and estimate, and we will review where your project stands before any changed work begins.
Next step: WhatsApp us your plot location and the change you are planning, or explore our bungalow architect services and turnkey construction in Pune. For PCMC plots, see our liaison architect for PCMC building permission service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get revised approval after the changes are already built?
UDCPR allows revised permission after completion but before the full occupancy certificate, but only for changes that comply with the regulations. Work that breaks FSI, margin or other rules cannot be cleared this way, so it is far safer to apply before building.
Do internal changes inside my house need revised permission?
Changes to the internal layout of a unit are not treated as unauthorised if they do not violate FSI or other regulations; they are shown in the plan submitted with the completion certificate. Anything that adds area or changes the outside of the building should be checked with your architect first.
What happens to my original sanctioned plan?
Once revised permission is granted, UDCPR provides that the earlier approved plans and commencement certificate are stamped “superseded”. From then on, the revised plans are what your construction and completion are checked against.
Related reading: building permission documents checklist for PMC, PCMC and PMRDA, completion and occupancy certificate in Pune, and authority guides for PMC, PCMC and PMRDA building permission.
Sources: UDCPR 2020 (Government of Maharashtra), regulations 1.4, 2.2.3, 2.2.12, 2.2.13, 2.8.4 and 2.8.5. Rules, fees and procedures change; check the latest requirements for your plot with the planning authority.