Stilt-plus-4-floors: Haryana Speaker expresses shock over lifting of ban, asks CM: ‘How did this happen?’

With the Assembly elections drawing closer, Haryana Town and Country Planning Department on July 2 allowed the construction of stilt-plus four-storey (S+4) buildings in the residential areas in the state. It also reiterated that owners could sell independent floors in an attempt to please voters who reduced the ruling party to five parliamentary seats in the recent elections from ten earlier.

Gupta stated that CM Nayab Singh Saini said he would take note of the matter when it was brought to his attention.

“The previous Chief Minister was knowing everything about this matter. How representations with signatures have been given by residents. I don’t know the actual picture. And I informed the same to CM Nayeb Singh Saini that how come this decision has been taken as it is not in the interest of general public,” Gupta said.

Gupta mentioned that many residents settled in Panchkula long before. “Their sunlight, air everything is blocked. How can they tweak the master plan. It is not allowed. Whatever they want to do—make stilt plus four or six ..they can do in the new sectors…not in the old ones. ”

Gupta stated that he shall be fighting for the residents’ cause. “I have taken up the matter again with the representations on Wednesday with the Chief Minister and will be following it up. I will be fighting for their cause,” he said.

THE DECISION

Haryana Town and Country Planning Minister Jai Parkash Dalal had announced the lifting ban and said, “It will help people unable to buy houses due to high and exorbitant rates of property. Three floors were already allowed and an additional floor will help accommodate more people who are unable to make purchases due to high property rates.”

Last week, former Army Chief General V P Malik, who spearheaded the campaign against the state government’s S+4 floor residential policy, had termed the approval “a peculiar and absurd policy that puts neighbours into conflicting situations and drives them to legal tussles”. He had accused the state of succumbing to the pressure of the builder lobby.

Stilt-plus-four floors refer to a building with a stilt floor, which is raised above the ground level, and an additional four floors above it, making a total of five floors and a basement.