India, Oct. 25 -- Aiming to reduce administrative hurdles, shorten approval timelines and lower costs for real estate projects, the Uttar Pradesh government has scrapped the requirement for property owners and developers to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board, also known as Avas Vikas Parishad, for building-plan approvals.

The latest circular withdraws provisions introduced through a government order in September 2010, which required property owners within 500 metres of Housing Board schemes to obtain an NOC before securing building-plan approval from the relevant development authority, a media report said.

Under the previous framework, property owners within a 500-metre radius of...