Explainer: Why Punjab's S+4 building plan is contentious
While CM Bhagwant Mann insists it will benefit property owners and buyers, questions are being raised about the viability and need of having such a policy, more so after the row in Haryana
Updated At : 07:11 AM Nov 01, 2025 IST
In Haryana, the Apartment Ownership Act, 1983, allows floor-wise registry on residential plots of 180 square yards or larger. For floor-wise registry, the property must be converted into an apartment building with a deed of apartment, which formalises ownership of the specific floor and a shared ownership of common areas like staircases. Tribune photo
THE Punjab Cabinet’s approval to ‘Unified Building Rules, 2025’ — paving the way for construction of stilt-plus-four floors (S+4) in new residential sectors and easing the norms for built-up spaces on residential and commercial properties — has triggered a debate on the rationale behind the move and its impact on the housing and civic infrastructure. The amended rules come months after Haryana’s controversial decision to allow the construction of S+4 buildings across the state. Unlike Haryana, Punjab has not imposed any condition of taking consent from neighbours.
