Section 52 in Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019
52. Requirements of parts of buildings.
- (1) Plinth. - (a) Main buildings: The plinth or any part of a building or out house shall be so located with respect to the surrounding ground level that adequate drainage of the site is assured. The height of the plinth shall be not less than 45cm from the surrounding ground level. However in flood prone areas, plinth shall be above the maximum flood level notified by the concerned authority.(b)Interior court yards and covered parking areas shall be raised at least 15cm above the determining ground level and shall be satisfactorily drained.(2)Walls. - (a) The outer walls of a building shall be constructed of bricks or stone or other incombustible material.(b)All walls of a building must be properly bonded.(c)Damp-Proof(i)Every wall and pier of the building except when built on materials such as steel or reinforced cement concrete shall be provided with a dampproof course.(ii)Damp-proof course shall be laid at a level not higher than the lowest part of underside of the construction of the ground floor and shall extend to the full width and extent of such walls or piers. It shall be at least two centimeters thick. Where the damp-proof course is provided below the plinth level, vertical damp-proof course shall be provided between the floor and the inside of the plinth.(3)Paving materials. - In the case of every building intended to be used for human habitation, every part of each floor of such building, including every passage and airy verandah therein, every lavatory, urinal, washing or bathing place included in it, shall be laid or paved with stone or non-absorbent tiles laid in cement or other durable material, impervious to moisture.(4)Structural metal. - shall not be used for conducting electrical or service currents:Provided that such metal may be used as part of a sufficient and properly earthed apparatus for protection of the building against damage by lightening.(5)Habitable rooms. - (a) Height. The height of all rooms for human habitation shall not be less than 2.75m measured from the surface of the floor to the lowest point of the ceiling bottom of slab. In the case of pitched roof, the average height of rooms shall not be less than 2.75m. The minimum clear head room under a beam, folded plates or eaves shall be 2.4m. In the case of air conditioned rooms, a height of not less than 2.5m measured from the surface of the floor to the lowest point of air conditioning duct or the false ceiling shall be provided.(b)Size. - The area of habitable room shall not be less than 7.5sq.m with a minimum width of 2.4m. Pooja room, or store room shall not be taken as a habitable room](6)Kitchen. - (a) Height. The height of a kitchen measured from the surface of the floor to the lowest point of the ceiling (bottom slab) shall not be less than 2.75m, except for the portion to accommodate floor trap of the upper floor.(b)Size. The area of a kitchen where separate dining area is provided shall be not less than 5.0sq.m. with a minimum width of 1.8m. where there is a separate store, the area of the kitchen may be reduced to 4.5sq.m. A kitchen, which is intended for use as a dining area also, shall have a floor area of not less than 7.5 sq.m. with a minimum width of 2.1m.(c)Other requirements. - Every room to be used as kitchen shall have:(i)Unless separately provided in a pantry, means for the washing of kitchen utensils which shall lead directly are through a sink to a grated and trapped connection to the waste pipe;(ii)an impermeable floor;(iii)a flue, if found necessary; and(iv)a window or ventilator or opening.(7)Bathrooms and Water closets. - (a) Height: The height of a bathroom or water closets measured from the surface of the floor to the lowest point in the ceiling bottom of slab shall not be less than 2.1m.(b)Size. - The area of a bath room shall not be less than 1.4sq.m. with a minimum width of 1.0m. The floor area of water closet shall be 1.0 sq.m. with a minimum width of 0.9m. If bath and water closet are combined, its floor area shall not be less than 2.4sq.m. with a minimum width of 1.2m.(c)Other requirements. - Every bath room or water closet shall:(i)be so situated that at least one of its walls shall open to external air;(ii)not be directly over or under any room other than another water closet,(iii)washing place, bath or terrace, unless it has a water-tight floor;(iv)be enclosed by walls or partitions and the surface of every such wall or partitions shall be finished with a smooth impervious material to a height of not less than 1m above the floor of such a room;(v)be provided with an impervious floor covering, sloping towards the drain with a suitable grade and not towards varandah or any other room; and have a window or ventilator, opening to a shaft or open space, of area not less than 0.3sq.m.(vi)the door of the water closet or bath not to be directly opened to a kitchen(8)Mezzanine Floor. - (a) Height. - It shall have a minimum height of 2.2 m.(b)Size. - The minimum size of the mezzanine floor, if it is to be used as a living room shall not be less than 9.5sq.m.. The aggregate area of such mezzanine floor in a building shall in no case exceed 1/2nd the plinth area of the building.(c)Other Requirements. - A mezzanine floor may be permitted over a room or a compartment provided:(i)it conform to the standard of living rooms as regards lighting and ventilation in case the size of mezzanine floor is 9.5sq.m. or more;(ii)it is so constructed as not to interfere under any circumstances with the ventilation of the space over and under it;(iii)such mezzanine floor is not sub-divided into smaller compartments;(iv)such mezzanine floor or any part of it shall not be used as a kitchen; and(v)in no case shall a mezzanine floor be closed so as to make it liable to be converted into unventilated compartments.(9)Store room. - Height. - The height of a storeroom shall be not less than 2.2m.Size. - The size of a storeroom, where provided in a residential building, shall be not less than 3sq.m.(10)Garage. - Height. - The height of a garage shall be not less than 2.4 m.Size. - The size of garages shall be as below:(a)Private Garage - 3.0m × 6.0m, minimum; and(b)Public Garage - Based on the number of vehicles parked by Equivalent Car Unit.(11)Basement. - (a) The basement shall not be used for residential purposes(b)The basement shall have the following requirements:(i)Every basement used for non-habitable purposes shall be in every part at least 2.4m in height from the floor to the underside of the roof slab or ceiling; for habitable purposes, it shall conform to the standards prescribed for habitable rooms above.(ii)Adequate ventilation shall be provided for the basement. The ventilation requirements shall be the same as required by the particular occupancy according to National Building Code. Any deficiency may be met by providing adequate mechanical ventilation in the form of blowers, exhaust fans, air conditioning systems, etc.;(iii)Adequate arrangements shall be made such that surface drainage does not enter the basement;(iv)The walls and floors of the basement shall be water-tight and be so designed that the effects of the surrounding soil and moisture, if any, are taken into account in design and adequate damp proofing treatment is given; and(v)The access to the basement shall be separate from the main and alternative staircase providing access and exit from higher floors. Where the staircase is continuous in the case of building served by more than one staircase, the same shall be of enclosed type serving as a fire separation from the basement floor and higher floors.(vi)The exit requirements in basements shall comply with the provisions of the NBC Part 4 'Fire and Life Safety'(12)Chimneys. - The chimneys shall be built at least 0.9 m above flat roofs, provided the top of the chimneys is not below the top of the adjacent parapet wall. In the case of sloping roofs, the chimney top shall not be less than 0.6 m above the ridge of the roof in which the chimney penetrates.(13)Parapet. - Parapet walls and handrails provided on the edges of roof terraces, balcony, verandah, etc. shall not be less than 1.2m and not be more than 1.5m in height from the finished floor level.(14)Roofs. - (a) The roof of a building shall be so designed and constructed as to effectively drain water by means of sufficient rain-water pipes of adequate size wherever required, so arranged, jointly and fixed as to ensure that the rain-water is carried away from the building without causing dampness in any part of the walls, roof or foundations of the building or an adjacent building.(b)Rain-water pipes shall be affixed to the outside of the external walls of the building or in recesses or chases cut or formed in such external walls or in such other manner.(c)Conservation of rain-water using suitable rainwater harvesting techniques including by roof water collection shall be made.(15)Mosquito-proof Water Tank. - Water storage tank shall be maintained in a perfect mosquito-proof condition, by providing a properly fitting hinged cover, and every tank more than 1.50mts. in height shall be provided with a permanently fixed iron ladder to enable inspection by anti-malaria staff.(16)Lighting and Ventilation. - Rooms shall have, for the admission of light and air, one or more openings, such as windows and ventilators, opening directly to the external air or into an open verandah.(a)Notwithstanding the area of openings stated above, the minimum aggregate area of such openings, excluding doors inclusive of frames, shall be not less than one- eighth of the floor area;Note.(i)If a window is partly fixed, the open able area shall be counted(ii)No portion of a room shall be assumed to be lighted, if it is more than 7.5m away from the opening assumed for lighting that portion.(iii)The area of openings as given above shall be increased by 25% in the case of a kitchen(iv)in cases where the ventilation is derived through open to sky. the dimensions of the open to sky need to be 1.5m x 2.5m. This will apply to kitchens and store rooms but not to lavatories and bath rooms which shall have windows or ventilators of not less than 0.5sq.m. abutting such open space(b)For requirements regarding lighting and ventilation for different uses and occupancy reference shall be made to the NBC Part 8 'Building Services, Section 1 Lighting and Ventilation'.(17)Stairways Requirements. - (a) Minimum width of staircase shall be:(i)(a)Ordinary Residential buildings............. 0.75 m(b)Other Residential buildings................ 0.90 m(ii)Assembly buildings like :Auditoria, assembly halls......................... 2.00 m(iii)All other buildings..................................... 1.50 m(iv)Educational institutions............................ 2.00 m(b)Minimum tread - The minimum width of tread without nosing shall be 250mm for residential buildings. The minimum width of tread for other buildings shall be 300mm. In case of spiral staircases, it shall have the above minimum tread width at the outer end.(c)Maximum riser - The maximum height of riser shall be 190mm for residential buildings and 150mm for other buildings and these shall be limited to 15 per flight.(d)The minimum headroom in a passage under the landing of a staircase shall be 2.2m. The minimum clear headroom in any staircase shall be 2.2m.
