Increase in ground coverage for plots approved to curb building norm violations

Officials believe with the increase in ground coverage, plot owners will be able to construct lifts, staircases, and cut-outs without compromising on the floor area ratio (FAR), which will help bring down unauthorized construction in plotted areas.

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has approved an increase in ground coverage for plots to curb building norm violations as a major relief for property owners and home developers,

Officials believe with the increase in ground coverage, plot owners will be able to construct lifts, staircases, and cut-outs without compromising on the floor area ratio (FAR), which will help bring down unauthorized construction in plotted areas.

According to an amendment to the Haryana Building Code 2017, the ground coverage for plots measuring up to 250 sq. mt. (300 sq. yards) has been increased from 66 to 75%. Similarly, larger plots measuring up to 1,000 sq. mt. have been allowed to have 66% ground coverage from the earlier 60%.

However, the maximum permissible FAR for plots up to 100 sq. mt. is 165% and 145% for plots up to 250 sq. mt. The FAR for plots between 250 and 350 sq. mt. is 130%, while those between 350 and 500 sq. mt. will have a maximum FAR of 120% and 100% for plots between 500 and 1,000 sq. mt.

FAR is the ratio of a building’s gross floor area to the size of the piece of land on which it’s built.

The DTCP, officials said, had issued a public notice about bringing amendments to the Haryana Building Code 2017 earlier this year and invited suggestions or objections from all the stakeholders.

A senior DTCP official said the move is aimed at bringing relief to the plot owners and home developers”. “If the property owners and builders still violate the norms, the enforcement team will take strict action,” he said.

City-based developers have welcomed the move.

“It was a long-pending demand of plot owners to exclude staircases and lifts from the FAR calculation. This was the main reason for building norm violations in plotted houses. Due to the stairs and lifts, which are common areas but included in the FAR, builders get less space to construct flats,” a developer said.

Narendra Yadav, president of Gurgaon Home Developers and Plot Owners Association, said they had several meetings with the director of the town and country planning department in the past and wrote to the chief minister. “Finally, the demand has been accepted.”

Former president of the Association, Ramesh Singla, who raised the demand first in March 2021, said the move paves the way for the construction of lifts and staircases without compromising FAR. “The move will also help check violations and unauthorized construction by property owners to some extent,” he added.