Petition in high court against change in Haryana building code

GURUGRAM: A city-based people’s group has moved the Punjab and Haryana high court against the department of town and country planning (DTCP) for making changes in its policy to allow the construction of fourth floors and their registration as independent dwelling units.

Earlier only two-and-a-half floors were allowed on a residential plot, but now one can construct stilt plus four floors with reduced setback area.

The policy was changed without augmentation of the civic infrastructure. And the petition by the Gurgaon Citizen’s Council claims it will increase the density of population in an area as well as put stress on the civic infrastructure of the city.

“The changes to the Haryana Building Code were done in a haste without due consultation and it will adversely affect the overall environment of the city. All these changes were done in a very short span of time,” said Shehbaz Thind, counsel for the petitioner.

A division bench of justices Rajan Gupta and Karamjit Singh will hear the case on July 23.

“The changes in the building code were made as per law and after receiving representation from people. The changes will allow meeting the increasing housing demand in the city,” said a senior DTCP official.