Haryana panel to study if building fourth floor can be permitted

The Haryana government’s town and country planning department has formed a five-member committee to look into the contentious issue of construction of a fourth floor and a stilt on residential plots.

The panel, which will be headed by P Raghavendra Rao, chairperson of the state pollution control board, has been asked to recommend the future course of action in the matter and file its report in two months, according to an order issued on Thursday by TL Satyaprakash, director general of the department of town and country planning (DTCP).

The move comes after DTCP stopped approvals for such constructions last month, after the issue was raised in the state assembly. The matter was also heard in the Punjab & Haryana high court on February 22, which sought a report in this regard.

According to the order, all approvals for fresh stilt-plus-four building plans have been halted since February 23. “The government has decided to keep all fresh stilt-plus-four building plan approval of residential plots in abeyance, including the applications pending/received for approval. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that no new stilt + 4 floor building plan shall be sanctioned till further orders,” the order said.

The permissions were held for such constructions in private licensed colonies and sectors developed by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), and urban local bodies.

A senior DTCP official aware of the development said the expert committee has been formed only to look into the advantages and disadvantages of such constructions. “The committee will look into the matter in detail and take a decision,” the official said asking not to be named.

DTCP, in its order, further said that the committee shall examine the complaints or concerns raised by various residents with regard to construction and suspension of stilt plus four-storey buildings on residential plots.

“To examine the pros and cons of such approvals granted in the past and its implications. To recommend the most viable… future course of action to be… The expert committee shall submit its report in a period of eight weeks,” the notice said.

These constructions have become a bone of contention in urban areas of the state as several RWAs and homeowners have opposed them, alleging that such houses exert severe pressure on roads, water, sewage, and other infrastructure amenities.

Last month, former civic body councillor Rama Rani Rathee petitioned the high court demanding augmentation of infrastructure in plotted colonies before stilt-plus-four houses are allowed.

However, several buyers in the city have said that they only bought plots because stilt-plus-four buildings were permitted. “Many buyers have bought additional FAR and plots at higher rate from HSVP but now they are stuck,” said Subash Sharma, a property consultant