‘Farmhouses’ in residential area okayed

Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 15

People in Haryana can now have “farmhouses” in the residential areas ranging from 2,000 square metre (4 kanals) to 10,117.5 square metre (20 kanals), a development that is set to change the state’s urban landscape.

Under its “low-density eco-friendly housing policy”, the plot owners can seek change of land use (CLU) for building mega houses with strict conditions that the premises would not be used for “commercial uses such as banquet hall, recreational, religious and institutional purposes”.

K Makrand Pandurang, special secretary, town and country planning, told The Tribune the new policy would apply to all urbanisable areas in the state and would be strictly enforced so that no commercial activity was undertaken.

He said a maximum ground coverage of 20 per cent would be allowed for plots measuring from 2,000 square metre (4 kanals) to one acre (8 kanals) with a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.20. Similarly, for plots ranging from one acre to 2.5 acre (20 kanals), the ground coverage would be 15 per cent and FAR of 0.20.

Pool, pond and water bodies would be among the things to be allowed besides the kitchen garden and urban farming. Only one dwelling unit would be allowed and no sub-division of the plot permitted. The installation of the rainwater harvesting would be mandatory for obtaining the CLU for the construction of the building on the plot. The owner will also have to provide a functional biogas plant at the plot.