In cases where such constructions have been done without approval, violators can pay penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for the same.
The Haryana government, after a 16-month ban, has decided to allow construction of stilt-plus-four floor constructions in residential sectors where the layout plan for building four dwelling units per plot or accommodating density of 18 persons per plot stands approved.
Barely three months before the state goes to polls, the government has also decided to grant approval for constructing stilt-plus-four floors in residential areas where layout plan for building three dwelling units per plot stand approved and the plot abuts 10 metre or more wide road for access.
However, this would be contingent on inking of a mutual consent agreement with all the adjoining plot allottees or keeping side setbacks of a certain dimension on every floor from the neighbouring plots to ensure better aeration and sunlight, top officials said.
The fresh decisions with regards to stilt-plus-four floors policy are broadly based on the recommendations of an expert committee constituted to comprehensively study and analyse it.
The state government has also decided that in cases where stilt-plus-four floors construction have been made without approval of building plans, violators can apply for composition of offence on payment of penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for raising constructions without getting building plans approved. The violators will have to also ensure that the construction conformed to the provisions of the Haryana Building Code, officials said. “Approval of building plans and grant of occupation certificates for such violators will be subject to payment of penalty. A 90-day period will be provided for paying the penalty and regularising the constructions,” an official said. Also, state agencies will go in for augmentation of infrastructure in urban areas from the funds collected as infrastructure augmentation charges.
Hue and cry over contentious policy
The contentious stilt-plus-four floors policy for residential areas was brought in by the BJP government by amending the Haryana Building Code, 2017, with an intent to create additional housing stock and increase the availability of housing at affordable prices. In 2018, registration of fourth floor was allowed as a separate dwelling unit. However, the authorities were inundated with complaints from residents who pointed out overburdening of the existing infrastructure, damage to adjoining houses and congestion due to parking of vehicles on the roads.
Following hue and cry from the residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), the state government on February 23, 2023, imposed a ban on approval and construction of stilt-plus-four floors. An expert committee to look into the issue was constituted which submitted its report in 2023.
Not much thought, in terms of evaluation of the infrastructure capacity in urban areas, seems to have gone into the formulation of the two Haryana government policies of 2016 and 2019 which facilitated the construction of stilt plus four floors in the urban areas. The expert committee report pointed out that the two policies of the town and country planning department though spoke of suitably amending the zoning plans/architectural controls in licenced and HUDA colonies as additional floor area ratio (FAR) was being permitted, no efforts were made for the augmentation and redesigning of sectors or colonies to accommodate the increased FAR.
The policies titled – Increase in floor area ratio (FAR) for residential plots in licenced colonies as well as for change of land use granted projects for residential use along with purchasable development rights — though brought a windfall for the state, fetching a massive ₹1,179 crore revenue, including ₹689 crore from private developers from the sale of the FAR.
Expert panel for grant of nod if commensurate infra available
The expert committee had recommended that permission for stilt-plus-four floors shall only be granted if availability of commensurate infrastructure is certified to the satisfaction of authorities and required infrastructure augmentation is initiated.
As per the report, 24,663 building plans have been approved and 11,434 occupation certificates issued for the stilt-plus-four floors buildings by the authorities across the state. These included 12,057 building plans of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) sectors, 12,595 of licenced areas and 2,426 in municipal corporation areas.
There are about 5.38 lakh residential plots carved out in the state, including 2.64 lakh by the HSVP and 2.6 lakh by private developers.
Residents, however, still feel that stricter enforcement is required from the authorities to ensure that commercial use of stilt-plus-four floors is not allowed.
Source : HT
