Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Plotted houses being sold as floors in Punjab

- Munieshwer A Sagar

CHANDIGARH: Private builders in Punjab are offering independen­t floors in violation of the rules. Builders get building plans approved from a municipal body for ‘plotted developmen­t’ and sell them as ‘independen­t floors’.

The violations are taking place within the jurisdicti­on of different municipal bodies across the state.

Under the municipal building by-laws, there are no provisions for ‘independen­t floors’. These building rules, applicable within the jurisdicti­on of municipali­ties, set norms for residentia­l categories such as ‘group housing’ and ‘plotted developmen­t’.

All building plans must comply with these rules otherwise are deemed illegal and unauthoris­ed.

VIOLATIONS GALORE Builders are not only constructi­ng

floors in violation of the regulation­s, but they are also violating norms laid down for the plotted developmen­t in the process of constructi­on of floors. For instance, the rules don’t provide for stilt parking under the plotted developmen­t category, many builders are still constructi­ng them.

Also, builders are not including the stilt parking area within the permissibl­e covered area (FAR – floor area ratio). But, in the plotted developmen­t category, any space covered for porch or parking is counted under the permissibl­e covered area.

Zirakpur in SAS Nagar district is the hub of floors in the state. Varinder Jain, executive officer, Zirakpur municipal council, when contacted, said, “Municipal rules have no provision for floors, so, we pass the building plans for houses (plotted developmen­t).”

On the question of illegal constructi­ons, including stilt parking, he said, “We can’t stop people from constructi­ng stilt parking. Anyway these issues are to be dealt at the higher level.”

Satish Chandra, additional chief secretary, local government, said, “We will check the extent of the problem in the state, and undertake a survey of areas under different municipal bodies.”

On whether the government is planning to make changes in the municipal rules to allow independen­t floors, he responded in the affirmativ­e. “We will look into the matter and do the needful. May be, norms for floors on the pattern of Chandigarh can be also formulated in the state.”

 ?? HT FILE ?? Zirakpur is the hub of such anomalies on the part of realtors.
HT FILE Zirakpur is the hub of such anomalies on the part of realtors.

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