The Haryana government has decided to allow construction of buildings with a stilt and four floors in certain residential sectors, officials aware of the matter said on Monday.
The development comes months before Haryana goes to the polls.
Under the new policy, the state has allowed the construction of four floors with stilts in sectors where the layout plan allows for the building of four dwelling units per plot. This policy also extends to plots adjoining 10-metre roads where the layout plan allows for the building of three dwelling units per plot, contingent on the inking of a mutual consent agreement with all adjoining plot allottees, officials said.
In cases where such buildings have been constructed without approval of building plans, violators can apply for composition of offence on payment of a penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for raising constructions without getting building plans approved.
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The move was applauded by developers, who called the decision a positive step towards increasing the availability of housing in Gurugram and the state. Residents, however, said the decision will only lead to an increase in construction and pollution.
The stilt-plus-four-floors policy was initially brought by the state government in 2017 by amending the Haryana Building Code of the same year, and registrations of the fourth floor as a separate dwelling unit started by 2018.
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However, authorities said that they were inundated with complaints from residents, who pointed out that a fourth floor in residential buildings was overburdening the existing infrastructure, damaging adjoining houses, and was leading to congestion on inner colony roads.
Following extended protests from RWAs, the state on February 23, 2023 rolled back the approval for the policy, and constituted an expert committee to look into the issue. Officials said the new policy was broadly based on recommendations from this expert committee.
Developers welcomed the state government’s move
“I think the decision is a positive step towards increasing housing availability. However, convincing neighbors to give their consent might be a significant hurdle. Many people might resist due to concerns about privacy, sunlight, and increased density,” said Chirag Gehlot, vice president of real estate developer Central Park.
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Residents, meanwhile, said the new policy will only add to congestion. “It will lead to a significant increase in construction activities, resulting in more pollution and noise… Allowing stilt plus four floor constructions will only add to the congestion in our already crowded neighborhoods. The increase in population density will exacerbate the existing issues of parking and traffic, making our daily lives even more challenging,” DLF Qutub Enclave RWA president Baljeet Singh Rathee said.
