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Haryana panel to study if building fourth floor can be permitted

The panel, which will be headed by P Raghavendra Rao, chairperson of the state pollution control board, has been asked to recommend the future course of action in the matter and file its report in two months, according to an order issued on Thursday by TL Satyaprakash, director general of the department of town and country planning

Published on: Mar 17, 2023, 23:50:09 IST
By , Gurugram
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Gurugram

On March 5, a delegation of Gurugram Home Developers Association called upon Jawahar Yadav, OSD, Haryana CM and submitted a memorandum regarding the issue of construction of a fourth floor, in Gurugram. (HT PHOTO)
On March 5, a delegation of Gurugram Home Developers Association called upon Jawahar Yadav, OSD, Haryana CM and submitted a memorandum regarding the issue of construction of a fourth floor, in Gurugram. (HT PHOTO)

The Haryana government’s town and country planning department has formed a five-member committee to look into the contentious issue of construction of a fourth floor and a stilt on residential plots.

The panel, which will be headed by P Raghavendra Rao, chairperson of the state pollution control board, has been asked to recommend the future course of action in the matter and file its report in two months, according to an order issued on Thursday by TL Satyaprakash, director general of the department of town and country planning (DTCP).

The move comes after DTCP stopped approvals for such constructions last month, after the issue was raised in the state assembly. The matter was also heard in the Punjab & Haryana high court on February 22, which sought a report in this regard.

According to the order, all approvals for fresh stilt-plus-four building plans have been halted since February 23. “The government has decided to keep all fresh stilt-plus-four building plan approval of residential plots in abeyance, including the applications pending/received for approval. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that no new stilt + 4 floor building plan shall be sanctioned till further orders,” the order said.

The permissions were held for such constructions in private licensed colonies and sectors developed by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), and urban local bodies.

A senior DTCP official aware of the development said the expert committee has been formed only to look into the advantages and disadvantages of such constructions. “The committee will look into the matter in detail and take a decision,” the official said asking not to be named.

DTCP, in its order, further said that the committee shall examine the complaints or concerns raised by various residents with regard to construction and suspension of stilt plus four-storey buildings on residential plots.

“To examine the pros and cons of such approvals granted in the past and its implications. To recommend the most viable... future course of action to be... The expert committee shall submit its report in a period of eight weeks,” the notice said.

These constructions have become a bone of contention in urban areas of the state as several RWAs and homeowners have opposed them, alleging that such houses exert severe pressure on roads, water, sewage, and other infrastructure amenities.

Last month, former civic body councillor Rama Rani Rathee petitioned the high court demanding augmentation of infrastructure in plotted colonies before stilt-plus-four houses are allowed.

However, several buyers in the city have said that they only bought plots because stilt-plus-four buildings were permitted. “Many buyers have bought additional FAR and plots at higher rate from HSVP but now they are stuck,” said Subash Sharma, a property consultant

  • Abhishek Behl
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Abhishek Behl

    Abhishek Behl is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Gurugram bureau. With over a decade of experience in journalism, he reports on Gurugram's rapid urban transformation, covering the city's changing infrastructure, governance, and planning landscape. His reporting spans major civic agencies, such as the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Behl has reported on key urban development issues such as RRTS projects, metro expansion, road and highway projects, water supply, drainage, mobility, environmental concerns, land use planning, affordable housing, and the city's real estate sector. He closely tracks policy decisions, infrastructure implementation, and their impact on the city and its residents. He also covers regulatory action against illegal constructions, urban flooding, traffic management, and initiatives aimed at improving civic services and sustainable development. Behl has also written on political developments in south Haryana, focusing on elections and governance. His journalism is driven by fact-based reporting, ground-level coverage, and an understanding of the social and economic dynamics of Gurugram. Apart from work he is a cyclist and a cricketer and a resident of Palam Vihar since 2010.Read More