Tamil Nadu CRZ
Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority
Overview
The Tamil Nadu CRZ layer plots the Coastal Regulation Zone footprint along the state's 1,076 km coastline, the second longest in India. It mirrors the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) prepared by NCSCM (National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management) in 117 maps and approved by MoEFCC on 24 October 2018, under CRZ Notification 2011. The CRZ 2019 CZMP for Tamil Nadu is currently being prepared and has not yet received MoEFCC approval. CRZ 2011 rules and the 2018 CZMP remain operative until the CRZ 2019 CZMP is approved.. The CRZ extends 500 metres landward from the High Tide Line and up to 100 metres along tidal creeks. This page shows what falls inside CRZ-I, II, III A, III B, and IV across all 14 coastal districts, and where construction is restricted.
The May 31, 2026 Madras HC deadline is imminent — the outcome will directly affect property status in the 798-notice belt from Neelankarai to Uthandi.
Regulatory Red Flags Inside the No Development Zone
Tamil Nadu's coastal belt is the most actively litigated CRZ zone in the country right now. The Madras High Court, in February 2026, gave the state until May 31 to dispose of 440 pending appeals on CRZ violations Chennai ECR (East Coast Road), tied to 798 notices issued by Greater Chennai Corporation in 2018-19 between Neelankarai and Uthandi.
Most violations sit inside the 500-metre belt from the High Tide Line, with 50+ structures reportedly inside the 200-metre No Development Zone (NDZ). The NGT has separately taken cognisance of beach encroachment near Besant Nagar, and ordered demolition at Radisson Blu Mamallapuram for structures inside the 200-metre belt.
The fact-pack on what each zone permits, drawn from CRZ Notification 2019 and TNSCZMA (Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority) classification.
CRZ-I A
Permitted Use
Mangroves, sand dunes, turtle nesting, reserve forests
Requires CRZ Clearance?
No new construction; only strategic/utility
Prohibited Without?
Any building
Commonly Misrepresented?
Sold as "sea view plots"
CRZ-I B
Permitted Use
Inter-tidal area (LTL (Low Tide Line) to HTL (High Tide Line))
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Pipelines, transmission, salt works only
Prohibited Without?
Houses, resorts
Commonly Misrepresented?
Marketed as "beach plots"
CRZ-II
Permitted Use
Built-up urban municipal areas
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Yes, via TNSCZMA
Prohibited Without?
New construction without CZMP layer reference
Commonly Misrepresented?
Confused with CRZ-III rural
CRZ-III A
Permitted Use
Densely populated rural; NDZ 50 m from HTL
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Beyond NDZ only
Prohibited Without?
Construction inside 50 m
Commonly Misrepresented?
Quoted as "approved layout"
CRZ-III B
Permitted Use
Sparse rural; NDZ 200 m from HTL
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Beyond NDZ only
Prohibited Without?
Anything inside 200 m
Commonly Misrepresented?
Sold without disclosure
CRZ-IV A/B
Permitted Use
Sea up to 12 NM and tidal water bodies
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Fishing, traditional use
Prohibited Without?
Solid waste, mining
Commonly Misrepresented?
Not applicable to plots
Zone Code
Permitted Use
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Prohibited Without?
Commonly Misrepresented?
CRZ-I A
Mangroves, sand dunes, turtle nesting, reserve forests
No new construction; only strategic/utility
Any building
Sold as "sea view plots"
CRZ-I B
Inter-tidal area (LTL (Low Tide Line) to HTL (High Tide Line))
Pipelines, transmission, salt works only
Houses, resorts
Marketed as "beach plots"
CRZ-II
Built-up urban municipal areas
Yes, via TNSCZMA
New construction without CZMP layer reference
Confused with CRZ-III rural
CRZ-III A
Densely populated rural; NDZ 50 m from HTL
Beyond NDZ only
Construction inside 50 m
Quoted as "approved layout"
CRZ-III B
Sparse rural; NDZ 200 m from HTL
Beyond NDZ only
Anything inside 200 m
Sold without disclosure
CRZ-IV A/B
Sea up to 12 NM and tidal water bodies
Fishing, traditional use
Solid waste, mining
Not applicable to plots
If a seller cannot show you the survey number marked on the approved CZMP map, that plot does not have a clear CRZ status. Walk away.
Growth Corridors and Micro-Markets Along the Tamil Nadu Coast
Coastal value in Tamil Nadu is uneven. Some stretches are investable with full CRZ clearance Tamil Nadu in place. Others are speculative and trade entirely on the gamble that violation appeals will be regularised through post-facto clearance, a route the Centre opened in 2022 but that is being actively challenged in court.
The corridors land buyers ask about most, mapped against their CRZ exposure.
Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-II (urban)
Growth Driver
Chennai ECR, 8-9k/sqft apartments
Known Risk
798-notice belt; appeals pending
Uthandi, Kanathur, Akkarai
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-II to CRZ-III boundary
Growth Driver
DTCP/RERA gated layouts
Known Risk
Mixed CRZ-II/III parcels; verify via TNSCZMA
Mamallapuram (Chengalpattu)
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-III + CRZ-I A pockets
Growth Driver
UNESCO heritage, ECR widening
Known Risk
Radisson-style demolition orders
Marakkanam, Poonjeri
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-III B largely
Growth Driver
Resort plots near backwaters
Known Risk
NDZ 200 m enforced strictly
Cuddalore-Nagapattinam belt
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A mangroves
Growth Driver
Industrial backbone
Known Risk
Pichavaram mangrove buffer 50 m
Gulf of Mannar (Ramanathapuram)
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CVCA (Critical Vulnerable Coastal Area) + CRZ-I A
Growth Driver
Pearl coast tourism
Known Risk
CVCA blanket restriction
Kanyakumari coast
Zone (CZMP 2018)
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A
Growth Driver
Tourism, fisheries
Known Risk
High erosion; PWD CRZ disputes
Corridor / Locality
Zone (CZMP 2018)
Growth Driver
Known Risk
Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai
CRZ-II (urban)
Chennai ECR, 8-9k/sqft apartments
798-notice belt; appeals pending
Uthandi, Kanathur, Akkarai
CRZ-II to CRZ-III boundary
DTCP/RERA gated layouts
Mixed CRZ-II/III parcels; verify via TNSCZMA
Mamallapuram (Chengalpattu)
CRZ-III + CRZ-I A pockets
UNESCO heritage, ECR widening
Radisson-style demolition orders
Marakkanam, Poonjeri
CRZ-III B largely
Resort plots near backwaters
NDZ 200 m enforced strictly
Cuddalore-Nagapattinam belt
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A mangroves
Industrial backbone
Pichavaram mangrove buffer 50 m
Gulf of Mannar (Ramanathapuram)
CVCA (Critical Vulnerable Coastal Area) + CRZ-I A
Pearl coast tourism
CVCA blanket restriction
Kanyakumari coast
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A
Tourism, fisheries
High erosion; PWD CRZ disputes
The most misunderstood corridor is the Uthandi-Akkarai stretch. Buyers assume DTCP or RERA approval clears the CRZ question. It does not. TNSCZMA clearance is a parallel approval, and a layout sanctioned in the 1980s before the 1991 notification does not exempt fresh construction inside today's NDZ.
Data Source & Verification
Source
Official Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority documents
Official Website
tnsczma.tn.gov.in
Coordinate Reference System
EPSG:4326 (WGS 84)
Geometry Type
Polygon / MultiPolygon
Data Format
Vector (GeoJSON) + Raster Tiles
Last Verified
May 2026
Status
Active