Premium

10 m or 6 m? HC panel to measure width of Gurgaon’s internal roads amid challenge to stilt-plus-four policy

The Punjab and Haryana High Court will take up a clutch of related cases for final hearing after 10 days, by when the commission will measure the internal roads in Gurgaon and submit a report.

3 min readChandigarhUpdated: Jan 29, 2026 08:34 PM IST

The court termed the petition frivolous and ordered Rajbir Singh Brar to pay ₹1 lakh each to three police officers, including Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. (Representational Image)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday constituted a three-member commission to inspect and measure the width of internal roads in Gurgaon’s residential sectors and licensed colonies, as a dispute over the actual road widths emerged during arguments on a PIL petition challenging Haryana’s revived “stilt-plus-four” (S+4) residential construction policy.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry was hearing multiple petitions that assail the Government’s decision to permit four floors plus stilt parking on residential plots, particularly in existing developed areas of Gurgaon.

Petitioners, represented by advocates including Nivedita Sharma, argued that the policy contradicts the findings of an expert committee constituted by the Government in 2023. They cited the committee’s report, which highlighted severe deficiencies in civic infrastructure, sewage treatment, water supply, parking, traffic congestion, structural safety, air pollution, and tree felling. The petitioners contended that thousands of additional permissions granted since 2023 had already strained Gurgaon’s infrastructure, leading to hazardous air quality (AQI consistently above 800 in recent months), flooding, and groundwater contamination.

A key point of contention was the Government’s modification of the expert committee’s recommendation that S+4 construction in existing colonies be allowed only on plots abutting roads of at least 12-m width. The state reduced this to 10 m, arguing that only 19 per cent of plots in Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) sectors abut 12-m roads, while 61 per cent abut 10-m roads, making the stricter limit “impractical”.
The state also defended mandatory stilt parking to reduce on-road parking and introduced a consent mechanism for load-bearing on common walls.

Petitioners, however, submitted photographs and claimed that actual motorable (tarred) internal roads in many colonies are only 4.5–6 m wide, with the stated 10-m width including footpaths and planted areas. They alleged that vehicles are still parked on roads and that stilt spaces are being converted to commercial use.

Haryana’s additional advocate-general argued that the Government had accepted several committee recommendations with practical modifications, that infrastructure augmentation is ongoing using funds collected from S+4 approvals (over Rs 1,178 crore till June 2023), and that halting construction would exacerbate housing shortages.

Noting the lack of consensus on ground realities, the bench directed the formation of a commission comprising a nominee of the additional advocate-general, counsel for the petitioners, and the chief judicial magistrate of Gurgaon (or his representative).

Story continues below this ad

The commission should conduct inspections and submit a report within 10 days. The court fixed the next hearing after the receipt of the report and deferred the remaining arguments till then.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More