MCD & DDA Approval Drawings in Delhi: A Plain-English Guide

What the sanctioned drawings actually need to show, what slows approvals down, and how to think about the structural-NOC step.

Sanctioned drawings are the part of the project owners understand the least and worry about the most. The reason most projects slip on approvals is not the law itself — the rules are reasonable and well documented — it is usually a drawing detail that does not match site conditions, a missing NOC, or a structural sheet that the appointed architect (AAA) is not willing to stamp without an extra round of correction. Here is a plain-English guide to what the sanction submission actually contains and what slows it down.

What the submission packet contains

• Site plan with plot dimensions, north arrow, road width, neighbouring buildings.
• Floor plans for ground and each upper floor, with full dimensions, room labels, doors and windows.
• Section drawings (typically two: through the staircase and through a bedroom block) showing slab depths, plinth height, parapet, mumty.
• Elevations (front and at least one side) with material notation and overall heights to MCD’s reference levels.
• Structural drawings stamped by a registered structural engineer — column layout, beam layout per floor, footing plan.
• Plumbing line diagram, water harvesting plan, and a rooftop solar panel placement plan (now mandatory for new builds in Delhi).
• NOCs as applicable: structural NOC, fire (above 15 m height), tree NOC if a notified species is on the plot.

What slows approvals down most often

1. Setbacks measured wrong on the site plan.

The most common cause of a return. The site plan submitted must match the registered conveyance deed exactly. If the deed says 30 ft × 75 ft and the survey shows 29’10” × 74’8”, the drawing has to acknowledge that and adjust. Most rejections we see are over a 4-inch discrepancy that could have been caught at the site visit.

2. Parking math.

The MPD-2041 ECS (equivalent car space) requirements have tightened. For a 250 sq-yd plot building three independent floors, you typically need 3 ECS — and the drawing must show real, dimensioned car parks, not just an arrow pointing to the front courtyard. The stilt has to be drawn with car turning circles where applicable.

3. Set-out of the staircase mumty.

The mumty (rooftop staircase enclosure) is counted toward height in some interpretations and not others. The safe move is to keep mumty height under 3 m and footprint under 25% of the floor area. Drawings that exceed either trigger an explicit objection.

The structural-NOC step

For residential projects beyond a single floor, the structural NOC from a Class-A structural engineer registered with the local body is non-negotiable. The engineer signs the structural drawings, takes professional responsibility for the design, and the architect cannot replace this with an in-house stamp. Budget a separate fee — typically ₹35,000–₹80,000 depending on plot size — and 10–20 days in the schedule.

Where the AAA fits in

The Authorised Architect (AAA) on a Delhi residential project signs the sanction submission. The AAA is registered with the local body and is professionally accountable. If your designing architect is not separately registered as an AAA in your zone, you will need to engage one. This is normal, the fee is modest (₹15,000–₹40,000 typical), and the AAA is genuinely useful — they know each inspector’s preferences and will catch issues before submission.

Realistic timeline

• Drawing preparation: 3–5 weeks after the design is frozen.
• Structural NOC: 2–3 weeks.
• MCD submission and first round of comments: 2–4 weeks.
• Resubmission and sanction: 2–4 weeks.

Best case 10 weeks, realistic 14 weeks, planning-for-worst 18 weeks. Build the schedule around 14.

What never gets approved

Cantilevers projecting beyond the building line. Set-backs less than the minimum prescribed. Rooms with no external window or ventilation. Habitable spaces in the basement without proper egress. Boundary walls higher than the prescribed limit on the road side. None of these are negotiable. Designing around them is part of what you pay an architect for.

One last thing

Once sanction is in hand, change orders during construction must be approved as revised drawings if they touch the building envelope or the structure. Internal partitions and finishes are not part of the sanction. Plan accordingly. Our architecture service includes the full approval lifecycle.