The government has announced amendments to the Telangana Building Rules, 2012, aimed at expanding the scope of Transferable Development Rights (TDR), easing height restrictions, and offering greater flexibility to developers in both high-rise and non-high-rise buildings.
The new norms were issued on Sunday (March 22, 2026) by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department.
One of the most significant changes is the redefinition of a high-rise building as any structure measuring 21 metres or above, excluding non-working components such as chimneys, cooling towers, lift machine rooms and water tanks.
Further, buildings rising between 18m and 21m on plots ranging from 750 sq.m to 2000 sq.m will now be permitted only through TDR, provided mandatory parking and other rules are met.
The government has allowed the use of TDR for setback relaxations in different categories. Non-high-rise buildings may now obtain setback relaxations via TDR while still adhering to the minimum norms applicable for road-widening situations. High-rises may avail up to 10% relaxation in setbacks through TDR, with a mandatory minimum 7-metre all-round setback.
