Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced in the state assembly that the government will not entertain new applications or building plan maps for stilt plus four-storey structures
On Thursday, the department of town and country planning in Haryana announced that all permissions for the construction of stilt plus four-storey buildings in private licensed colonies and sectors developed by Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), and urban local bodies have been put on hold. This decision comes after the Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, declared in the state assembly on Wednesday that the state government will not consider any new applications or building plan maps for stilt plus four-storey structures. Additionally, a special committee will be established to review the matter.
Residents and resident welfare associations have expressed criticism of stilt plus four-storey buildings, stating that they place significant strain on the existing infrastructure of plotted colonies. Gurugram councillor Rama Rani Rathi has also opposed these structures due to a lack of infrastructure and amenities and filed a petition on this matter in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has sought a report from the state government.
Moreover, the Supreme Court suspended the conversion of residential houses into floor-wise apartments on January 11, arguing that it could not be permitted in residential sectors because they have heritage value.
In light of these developments, the director general of the town and country planning department, TL Satyaprakash, has issued an order on Thursday following the state government’s instructions. The order directs that all fresh approvals for stilt plus four-floor building plans of residential plots, including pending or received applications, be kept on hold. It also prohibits the sanctioning of any new stilt plus four-storey building plans until further notice.
It is important to note that all previously sanctioned plans for stilt plus four-storey buildings will remain valid despite the recent order to put approvals for new applications on hold. Plot owners can still apply for building plans for ground plus two floors and stilt-plus-three-floor structures as per existing rules.
A senior official from the Department of Town and Country Planning has stated that this order has been issued under the directions of higher authorities and that approvals for stilt plus four-floor building plans will be put on hold until further notice.
On Wednesday, the Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, stated that all resident welfare associations would be given a hearing by the special committee. Yashvir Malik, the state convenor of the Haryana State Sectors Confederation, has welcomed this move, saying that the construction of four-storey buildings was placing excessive pressure on existing infrastructure such as water, sewage, and electricity. He also commented that this policy should be permanently put on hold.
Property consultants in Gurugram have expressed concern that the decision to put building approvals for stilt plus four-storey buildings on hold may result in an increase in the price of plots, making it more expensive for potential buyers due to a reduction in supply.
Rajesh K Saraf, the managing director of Axiom Landbase Pvt Ltd, a consultancy firm, acknowledged that this decision would have an impact on property prices but also noted that it could have positive effects on the market. He stated that the cost of a plot, which was earlier divided among four buyers, would now be distributed among three buyers. Additionally, the pressure on existing infrastructure would be reduced as construction activity would decrease.
It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the real estate market in Haryana, and whether or not it will lead to a rise in the prices of plots.
