Thiruvananthapuram: A discount on regularisation fees will be granted to the buildings that commenced construction prior to the hike in permit fees. This will be applicable to the buildings that started construction before April 10, 2023. An order directing payment fees only for the additional construction has been issued by the government.

Earlier, the fees on the additional construction of buildings was calculated on the basis of total area. The application fees and permit fees for the construction of buildings were increased following hike in various fees last April. 

Compounding fees are double of the permit fees. It was alleged that the steep rise in the permit fees will increase the burden on the building owners. Taking these into account, Local Self Government department Principal Secretary M G Rajamanickam IAS had recommended the discount which is now approved.

From last April, the renewed rate of the permit fees is calculated on a slab basis, and the slab is decided on the basis of the total area of the building which is estimated considering the number of used and unused buildings in the same plot, besides other factors.