Haryana cabinet likely to consider amendment in policy
Proposal seems controversial since there are not many institutional sites/internal community buildings in the state conforming to the norms prescribed in the proposed amendment
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana cabinet on Monday is likely to consider an amendment in the transit-oriented development (ToD) policy pertaining to permissible land use within the ToD zone for institutional sites. These institutional sites are part of plotted development areas – both by licensed developers and in the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) sectors.
The proposed amendment appears to be controversial since there are not many institutional sites/internal community buildings in the state conforming to the norms prescribed in the proposed amendment. Also, the ToD policy already covers the institutional zones. The proposed amendment in a nutshell means that internal community buildings, including schools, health facilities, religious buildings, and community centres, can be altered and exploited for commercial gains. Also, the department, as per its own 2021 directions, will have to ensure that the developers invited objections from each existing allottee regarding an amendment in the layout/building plan.
2016 policy
The ToD policy brought in by the town and country planning (TCP) department in 2016 is essentially any development either macro or micro that is focused along a mass rapidtransit corridor and facilitates complete ease of access to the transit facility, thereby allowing people to prefer to walk and use public transportation over personal modes of transport. As per the existing policy, the permissible uses within the ToD zone for mixed land use (residential and commercial only) and floor area ration (FAR) of 3.5/2.5 is up to 30% residential component in licensed colonies in commercial zones and up to 30% commercial component in residential, industrial, institutional zones of development plans.
The cabinet memorandum proposing an amendment by the TCP department said that in case of such sites earmarked for internal community buildings forming part of plotted colonies, which also fall in transit-oriented development zone, the benefit of the policy may be availed if the area of such internal community building is not less than four acres.
It further said the maximum FAR of 3.5/2.5 (depending upon the transition zone) will be permitted.
The minimum FAR to be allocated for the designated institutional purpose will be in accordance with the prevailing norms at the time of approval of layout plan. Significantly, the cabinet memorandum also said that the balance FAR, after reserving minimum area for institutional usage, may be availed for mixed land use development – 70% residential and 30% commercial.
It also said that if the applicant intends to utilise the entire area for mixed land use on the institutional site and it is not possible to accommodate the institutional usage as per the approved layout plan elsewhere (in the same layout plan), then option to relocate such internal community site within a 3km radius in the conforming urbanisable zone will also be allowed.
No explicit provision in ToD for institutional sites: Dept proposal
Justifying the proposed amendment, the TCP department in the cabinet memorandum said, “Since there are no explicit provisions for grant of ToD permission on the institutional sites/ internal community buildings falling in other than public and semi-public institutional zone or area earmarked for institutions in the sectoral plans and forming part of the plotted colonies, HSVP residential sectors falling in the ToD zone and part of approved layout residential plan, the amendments are required to allow ToD benefit on such institutional sites.”