Relaxing important norms for affordable housing segment
EXEMPTIONS GALORE The draft affordable colony policy, 2018, in a bid to encourage affordable housing, compromises on crucial housing norms
CHANDIGARH: The relaxed housing norms under the proposed affordable colony policy 2018 might help increase affordable housing supply in the state by attracting more promoters in the segment, but it puts up a question mark over the quality of life these colonies will offer to its residents.
The draft affordable colony policy 2018, proposed by the department housing and urban development, is proposed for the entire state outside the municipal limits. The policy aims to encourage planning and development of small-size residential plotted and flatted development to ensure an increased supply of small-size plots and houses at affordable rates.
COMPROMISES OR INCENTIVES?
As per the proposed policy, the promoter shall be liable to fulfill all provisions of the respective master plan, notification of the charges to be paid and related provision of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act 1995 (PAPRA), prevailing building rules and other department notifications as amended from time to time, except as amended in the policy.
The colony can come up only in the residential and mix land use zones of master plan. But, in case there is no master plan is in operation, even then the affordable colony will be allowed keeping in view the existing trend of the development in the surrounding.
The minimum area for a colony under the policy has been reduced to 5 acres from 10 acres as enshrined under PAPRA. “The projects under this policy shall have minimum contiguous area of five acres or as per zoning regulations of the respective master plan whichever is less in all the master plans in the state except in case of SAS Nagar and New Chandigarh master plans, where the provisions of the respective master plan regarding area and other norms shall be adhered to,” proposes the draft policy.
A major compromise in a bid to encourage affordable housing comes in the form of the absence of density norms (people per acre). While different density norms, depending up on the category of project and location, are applicable under the PAPRA; but, for the projects to get approvals under the proposed policy there are no stipulations regarding the density. The maximum saleable area permissible has been increased from 55% to 65% of the gross area of the project.
Minimum width of road within the colony for residential plots has been reduced from 35 ft under PAPRA to 22 ft in the draft policy. The minimum width of carriageway is proposed to be below 20 ft, at 18 ft in the proposed policy. There is relaxation in the minimum road size provisions for the flatted developments too. While the PAPRA stipulates a minimum road width of 60 ft, under the proposed affordable colony policy, it is only 40 ft.
The policy also compromises on the stipulations for maximum coverage area. The draft proposes reduction from 40% (as laid down in PAPRA) to 30%.
In addition, the parking norms also proposed to be reduced as compared to the PAPRA provisions.
Relaxations under the proposed policy also come in the form of the stipulated sanctioning authority. The CLU (change of land use), layout plans sanction and zoning plan sanction has been made available at the office of senior town planner whereas in case of PAPRA the competent authority is the chief administrator of respective development authorities.
Under the draft policy, the maximum plot size has been restricted to 125 sq yd. Under the PAPRA there are no such restrictions. “Plot sizes in such colonies shall be maximum up to 125 sq yd and average plot area shall not exceed 100 sq yd,” states the draft policy.
More FAR is proposed in respect of flatted development in relation with the road widths than provided for under the PAPRA. FAR beyond 1:2 has been made available without any charges whereas in PAPRA the FAR is chargeable.
One aspect where the draft policy improves on the living conditions is the minimum area for green spaces, which has been increased from 15% to 20%.
“Relaxing the norms regarding the minimum density permissible, FAR, road width and similar provisions will virtually turn such colonies into slums. Such norms relaxation is a major compromise for the quality of life of the residents,” said MS Aujla, retired director, town planning, local government department. He also points out the impact of such relaxation on the price of the land, “Such favourable norms for builder tends to push up the land prices as build.” The builder calculates the cost of the land in relation to the FAR, density and coverage; the more relaxed such norms it adds value to the land.
COMPARISON WITH HARYANA POLICY
A comparison with the Haryana affordable policy (APH) indicates major strength and weaknesses of the draft affordable colony policy. One of the major flaws in the draft policy is the norms regarding the density, which becomes all the more glaring when compared with APH. The APH fixes the maximum density at 400 persons per acre, whereas the draft policy is silent on the density norms, which can negatively impact the living conditions in such a colony.
The maximum area for a colony in APH was pegged at 15 acres whereas in ACP there is no such stipulation. The APH focused primarily on the plotted development including independent floors, but Punjab’s draft policy mixes it up with group housing (flatted development). In APH, independent floors were allowed, but draft policy is silent on independent floors, rather it proposes flatted development which can be both independent floors and group housing.
The APH fixes maximum plot area at 150 sq m whereas in ACP the maximum area is 125 sq yd.
The draft policy is relatively better than APH when it comes to the minimum road width. It proposes 22ft as the minimum road width for the plotted development. Under the APH, the minimum width of internal roads starts from 9m. In terms of green area regulations also the draft policy fares better than APH. It is only 7.5% of the licenses area under the APH, but draft policy proposes it to be 5%.
There is no separate EWS (economically weaker sections) plots allowed under APH whereas under draft policy 5% reservation is proposed for EWS housing.
The APH was opened for 90 days from the date of notification, whereas in draft policy no such date reservation is proposed.