Lake and tank FTL buffer zone check before buying in Andhra Pradesh (Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur): AP Building Rules 2017

Checked against official sources on 19 Oct 2026 · Not legal advice · Government websites change, so re-check before you rely on a step.

Short answer: In Andhra Pradesh, Rule 54(11) of the AP Building Rules, 2017 (G.O.Ms.No.119, dated 28-03-2017) bars any building or development in the bed of a river or nala and inside the Full Tank Level (FTL) of any lake, pond, cheruvu or kunta / shikam lands, and keeps a buffer around them: 30 m from the FTL of lakes, tanks or kuntas of 10 hectares and above, 9 m for smaller ones and shikam lands, and 100 m / 50 m from a river boundary outside / inside local authority limits. So before you buy a plot or flat near a tank in Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur or Tirupati, find out where the FTL line is and how far the site is from it. This page shows what the Rules said in the copy hosted by APCRDA, read on 19 Oct 2026.

What Rule 54(11) says

No building in the FTL or bed: "No building / development activity shall be allowed in the bed of water bodies like river or nala and in the Full Tank Level (FTL) of any lake, pond, cheruvu or kunta / shikam lands."
Who measures it: the area and FTL of a lake or kunta are to be taken as measured and confirmed in writing by the Irrigation Department and the Revenue Department.
Buffer zones (kept as recreational or green buffer, no building): 100 m from the river boundary outside local authority limits and 50 m within them; 30 m from the FTL of lakes, tanks or kuntas of 10 ha and above; 9 m from the FTL of those under 10 ha and shikam lands; 9 m from a canal, vagu, nala or storm water drain wider than 10 m; 2 m from one up to 10 m wide.
Use of the buffer: unless the Master Plan or Zonal Development Plan says otherwise, the buffer may carry a road of at least 12 m (and a promenade or a 3.6 m walking or cycle track in a 30 m strip). The buffer counts as tot lot or organised open space, not as setback.
Coast: along the sea coast (relevant in Vizag), the Coastal Regulation Zone rules apply as well.

The APCRDA copy is the 2017 G.O. Later amendments may change some wording, so check the current consolidated Rules with your local planning authority before relying on a number (to verify).

Papers that show the check was done

Rule 3 lists, among documents for a building permission application, an NOC from the Revenue Department and an NOC from the Irrigation Department "in case of lands abut Water Bodies, Water Courses & Nalas with sketch plan with measurements" (wherever required). If the site is near a tank, ask the builder or seller whether these were needed and for copies.
Rule 54(9) also lists land "liable to flood" or shown as floodable in a plan, and areas of natural waterways or drains, among site conditions that block permission unless the owner proves the site is safe.

How to check a site in AP

Get the survey number, sub-division and extent from the seller's sale deed and the land record (see our Meebhoomi land record check).
Look at the land classification in the revenue record. If the land is recorded as tank, kunta or poramboke (government) land, stop and run our prohibited property search.
Ask for the approved building plan or layout plan (our building permission and OC check and LRS and layout approval check) and see whether it marks the water body, its FTL and the buffer strip.
If a tank or nala is close, ask the Irrigation Department or the Revenue office for the FTL line confirmed in writing, and have a licensed surveyor plot the site against it.
Visakhapatnam only, as an extra cross-check: VMRDA's land bank page lists government land by classification, including "Tank Poramboke", with survey numbers. It covers VMRDA's own land bank, not every tank.

We didn't find a single public FTL map portal for Andhra Pradesh like HMDA's Lakes portal in Hyderabad, so the FTL confirmed in writing by the Irrigation and Revenue Departments is the reference.

Green / Amber / Red

Green: no tank, kunta, canal or nala near the site on the approved plan or on the ground, the revenue record shows private land, and the permission or layout approval matches the site.
Amber: a tank or nala is within about 30 m, the project is sold as "lake view", there is no sketch with measurements, or the NOCs are missing. Get the officially confirmed FTL and a survey before you pay.
Red: the site is inside the FTL or the buffer strip, the land is recorded as tank or shikam land, or the seller won't show the plan. Don't pay an advance; talk to a lawyer.

What to keep on file

Survey number, sub-division and extent, with the land record printout and date
Approved building or layout plan showing the water body and buffer
Revenue and Irrigation NOC copies, if they were required
Surveyor's sketch with distance from the officially confirmed FTL
Your written questions to the seller and their answers

Want the full buying order in one list? Use our free property buying checklist generator. Property in Hyderabad? See our Hyderabad lake FTL and buffer check.

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A free sample from our Andhra Pradesh property do-it-yourself pack for NRIs: which portal to open, in what order, what to ask the builder or seller, and what to keep on file.

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FAQ

What is the buffer zone around a lake or tank in Andhra Pradesh?

Rule 54(11) of the AP Building Rules, 2017 (G.O.Ms.No.119) says 30 m from the FTL of lakes, tanks or kuntas of 10 hectares and above, 9 m for smaller ones and shikam lands, 9 m from drains wider than 10 m and 2 m from narrower ones.

Can I build inside a tank's FTL in AP?

No. Rule 54(11)(a) says no building or development activity is allowed in the bed of a river or nala or in the FTL of any lake, pond, cheruvu or kunta / shikam lands. Not legal advice.

Who fixes the FTL of a tank in AP?

Under Rule 54(11)(a), the area and FTL are taken as measured and confirmed in writing by the Irrigation Department and Revenue Department.

What is the river buffer in AP?

Rule 54(11)(b) says 100 m from the river boundary outside local authority limits and 50 m within them, with the boundary fixed and confirmed in writing by the Irrigation and Revenue Departments.

Which NOCs should a builder near a tank in Vizag or Vijayawada have?

Rule 3 of the AP Building Rules lists NOCs from the Revenue Department and the Irrigation Department, with a sketch plan with measurements, for lands abutting water bodies, water courses and nalas, wherever required.

Does the buffer count toward setbacks?

No. Rule 54(11)(c) says the buffer may be counted as tot lot or organised open space, not for setback requirements.

Official sources

Not legal advice. We don't check properties or certify ads. A lawyer must confirm title, and the Authority's own notices override anything on this page.