Punjab notifies unified building bylaws: Stilt-plus-four floors allowed in all new residential areas
The rules were passed by the Punjab cabinet on October 28
The Punjab Government has notified new unified building bylaws, allowing stilt-plus-four floors in all new residential areas coming up in urban areas across the state.
Passed by the Punjab cabinet on October 28, the rules have now been notified.
Under the bylaws, plots measuring up to 200 sq yards can come up on roads having a minimum width of 30 feet and for plots above 200 sq yard, the minimum road width should be 40 feet.
The bylaws have already attracted criticism from town planners and architects, who feel it would lead to chaos and densification in urban areas.
In already planned areas, the government has allowed stilt plus three.
The move will pave the way for the government to implement law to allow implantation of the Apartment Act in the state, which will allow people to buy separate floors in houses, as subdivision of land is currently not permitted.
Initially, the government planned to allow the stilt- plus-four floor scheme in all urban areas. However, after receiving feedback from stakeholders, it was decided to restrict the provision to newly constructed licensed colonies and sectors in urban estates to avoid overburdening the existing civic infrastructure. The decision is expected to significantly impact housing in cities like Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
In old and existing urban areas, owners can construct stilt-plus-three floors, with the maximum permissible building height revised from 11 metres to 13 metres.
