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Gurugram roads only 4-5 metres wide in most inspected stretches, HC told in stilt-plus-four PIL

Division bench seeks written submissions after commission report flags narrow motorable carriageways in DLF Phase 1 and Sector 28

4 min readChandigarhUpdated: Feb 17, 2026 03:49 PM IST

Punjab and Haryana High Court issues show-cause notices to DGPs and Chief Secretaries over alleged non-compliance with Supreme Court arrest guidelines. (Source: Express Archives)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday took on record a report of an independent commission indicating that the motorable width of several internal roads in Gurugram’s DLF Phase 1 and Sector 28 ranges largely between 4 and 5 metres, as it heard a public interest litigation challenging the Haryana government’s decision permitting stilt-plus-four construction.

The matter was heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry. The court had earlier constituted a commission to examine the actual width of roads in the affected areas.

Senior advocate Nivedita Sharma, appearing for the petitioner, read out portions of the commission’s report in court. She submitted that in compliance with the High Court’s directions in CWP (PIL) No. 212 of 2024 and connected matters, the commission conducted a physical inspection on January 31 of internal roads in DLF Phase 1 and Sector 28.

According to the report, while certain roads had a wall-to-wall width of 10 to 12 metres, the motorable metalled portion in most cases was between 4 and 4.8 metres. Specific stretches measured included 4.5 metres in DLF Phase 1 (A31), 4.6 metres (A41 and A36), 4.5 to 4.8 metres on market roads, 3.9 metres in one stretch of Sector 28, and 4 metres on another 10-metre-wide road where the usable carriageway was substantially reduced.

Sharma told the bench that across the seven to eight sites visited, the effective motorable width did not exceed 4 to 5 metres. She added that photographs placed on record showed cars parked on both sides of the roads, along with encroachments such as planters, green patches fenced with barbed wire, and metal structures. “Even two cars cannot pass simultaneously on these stretches,” she submitted, contending that the functional width was often less than four metres.

The bench said the report would be taken on record.

Sharma further submitted that additional photographs from other blocks, not visited by the commission, showed even narrower lanes with four to six-storey structures. She argued that in the event of a fire or natural disaster, emergency services would find it “impossible” to access such buildings.

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Referring to the fire safety regime, Sharma cited provisions of the Haryana Building Code, 2017, as amended, permitting residential plotted buildings up to 16.5 metres in height (stilt plus four floors). She argued that the amendment aligned the requirement of a no-objection certificate with the Haryana Fire Services Act, 2009, raising the threshold from 15 metres to 16.5 metres. This, she contended, diluted the safeguards envisaged under the National Building Code of India.

She submitted that in the absence of adequate road width, spacing between buildings and requisite equipment, fire-fighting services could not effectively cater to structures of 16.5 metres. “This is a very serious default,” she argued.

The petitioner’s counsel also assailed the state’s self-certification regime for occupation certificates, under which architects certify completion and authorities issue occupation certificates without prior physical verification. Citing a departmental audit, she alleged that over 7,500 illegal constructions existed in DLF Phases 1 to 4 and attributed this to weak enforcement and a system that allowed blacklisted architects to resume practice upon payment of a penalty.

Sharma further relied on findings of an expert committee, which, she said, recorded that Gurugram’s infrastructure was designed in the 1990s and did not envisage the present population density. She contended that the enhanced floor area ratio (FAR), now up to 265 in certain cases as against 100 or 145 earlier depending on plot size, had significantly increased density without corresponding augmentation of infrastructure such as roads, water supply, sewage and traffic management.

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She told the bench that she was pressing only for interim relief in the present petition, stating that larger issues concerning monitoring, infrastructure augmentation and regulation would require detailed consideration.

After hearing the submissions on interim relief, the bench directed the parties to file written submissions within two weeks.

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

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