Gurugram developers demand lifting of ban on fourth-floor policy

The Gurugram Home Developers Association demanded on Sunday that the government lift the eight-month-long ban on the construction of a fourth floor and a stilt on residential plots, claiming that the ban had resulted in significant losses for plot owners, contractors, and developers who had invested in such plots. According to the association, permission should be granted as per the old zoning plan as soon as possible, or else all stakeholders will continue to suffer heavy losses.

Narender Yadav, president of the association, told a press conference on Sunday that under the old zoning rules, property owners were required to leave more space for setbacks in the front and rear of the building, resulting in more open spaces between structures. “The fourth-floor ban was imposed in February, and the government formed a committee that submitted a report four months ago, but no decision has been made. This policy limbo has impacted at least 500 plot owners and contractors,” he said.

The association said that the ban has increased the price of plots by nearly 15%, while the supply of residential homes in the form of floors has decreased significantly. “The availability of flats in the city was already low due to the launch of few new group projects in 2020 and 2021, but the floors made up for the shortage. The ban has really put property owners, contractors, and brokers in a bind because several people have taken out loans and invested money to build a fourth floor,” he said.

According to the association, another major issue that plot owners are facing is that many of them built the fourth floor while taking into account the compounding rule of DTCP (department of town and country planning) and HSVP (Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran), but with the decision to halt the fourth-floor policy, their investments are in jeopardy. “Since the ban was imposed, we’ve met with senior DTCP officials and even the chief minister, and we’ve been assured that a decision will be made soon on this matter, but it’s still stuck. We urge the government to make a decision on this matter as soon as possible,” he said.

The association also said that the infrastructure issue in Gurugram city can be resolved if the government spends thousands of crore collected as external development charges (EDC).

The Haryana government allowed the registration of a fourth floor as an independent floor in 2019, but in February 2023, it imposed a ban on construction and registration of fourth floors after this policy was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana high court and raised in the state assembly.

Opponents of the fourth-floor policy say that adding floors without building infrastructure puts a strain on the existing amenities and utilities.

Following the court’s directions, the state government formed a committee to investigate the matter thoroughly. The committee, led by P Raghavendra Rao, chairman of the Haryana state pollution control board, conducted a detailed study and submitted its report on June 29. The government, however, has yet to make a decision on the committee’s recommendations.

When questioned about the matter, a senior DTCP official said that the matter is under consideration and the government will take a decision on it.

Chaitali Mandhotra, co-convenor of United Gurugram residents welfate association (RWA), a body of RWAs, said that the government must upgrade infrastructure in the neighbourhoods before granting permission to build a fourth floor. “The city urgently needs to upgrade its power, sewage, and road systems. The current infrastructure is insufficient for the population,” she said.

RK Yadav, president of the Sector 46 RWA, said the current infrastructure in the city cannot serve the population living in two to three-storey houses. Unless basic amenities are upgraded, the fourth floor should not be allowed, Yadav added. “The people need water, power, sewage lines, and roads, which are already under pressure. The government must expand capacity before giving any construction permission,” he said.