Plot owners in fix as state yet to decide on stilt+4 floor houses

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, December 25

Thousands of plot owners and home developers continue to be in a fix as the state government is yet to take a final decision on a policy allowing stilt plus four-floor houses despite an expert committee submitting recommendation five months ago.

The policy for four floor plus stilt houses in residential plots was put on hold in February. As a result, owners of residential plots bought through e-auction from the Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and those planning to pull down old houses and rebuild were unable to start construction as per the four floor plan.

The Gurugram home developer association met CM Manohar Lal Khattar in Haryana Bhawan recently to highlight their woes.

“The entire process is at standstill since February. The plot owners are hung up and so are the people who are waiting to pull down their houses as old as 15 to 20 years and go for modern housing. There is an entire construction industry impacted by this and facing huge losses. Lack of construction of new floor is leading to residential unit deficit and increasing rentals. The CM assured us of quick decision but we are waiting,” said Association president Narender Yadav.

Developers said Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has taken over more than half a dozen licensed colonies, but infrastructure upgrade and development work hasn’t started in any of these areas till date.

The HSVP has sold more than 1,000 plots via e-auction, according to the floor area ratio (FAR) of four floors with stilt parking in Gurugram alone. But now, neither it is approving building plans of four floors with stilt parking, nor withdrawing the allotments and returning money to allottees.

The panel set up by the government had prepared a comprehensive report after holding consultations with the public, RWA representatives, builders, departments and experts. In its report, the expert committee pressed for revision of the Haryana Building Code, 2017 and said there was a need to address ground coverage, FAR and structural safety flaws. It also sought a mechanism to curb misuse of stilt areas and parking problems.

It also sought a mechanism to curb misuse of stilt areas and parking problems. In its recommendations, the committee said a panel headed by the director general of the department of town and country planning should review building norms.

The state government had in 2019 allowed registration of the fourth floor as an independent dwelling unit.

The issue is expected to become a political issue in forthcoming assembly election in the state. Highly placed sources said the state government was treading cautiously and might make any a final decision only after Lok Sabha polls.

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