06 , October , 2024
In a major development, merely two weeks after the Haryana government revoked its decision to pause implementation of the S+4 floor policy, Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a notice to the department of town and country planning (DTCP) and the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran, demanding responses on the issue following a petition which has challenged the revocation.
A resident of Sushant Lok named Sunil Kumar Singh has submitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition - challenging the construction of four-floor buildings with stilt parking in Gurgaon. He argues that the state govt's decision to permit these constructions, despite a lack of adequate infrastructure, is inimical to the city's overall well-being.
A bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu heard the PIL, with senior advocate Meet Malhotra representing the petitioner. The bench has also agreed to hear a stay application filed as part of the petition, requesting an immediate halt to further four-floor construction approvals.
The hearing for both the PIL and the stay application has been scheduled for Oct 23. In his petition, Singh has highlighted that the Haryana govt had initially set up an expert committee to review the feasibility of four-floor buildings in such cities as Gurgaon, which are already facing infrastructure challenges. The committee had recommended that before allowing additional floor constructions, an audit of the city's infrastructure, including drainage, waste management, roads and public utilities, should be conducted. Despite these recommendations, the state reintroduced the four-floor policy on July 2, 2024 without addressing these concerns.
Interestingly, the petitioner claims that such unchecked construction will eventually turn Gurgaon into an urban slum, affecting the quality of life for all residents. In addition to the PIL, the Gurugram Citizens' Council and another petition have also raised concerns about the four-floor policy. These cases are expected to be heard alongside Singh's petition.
The petitioner's legal counsel has urged the court to impose an immediate stay on the state's July 2 notification, which reopened the portal for approving four-floor buildings. According to the petition, DTCP has already begun approving new construction plans, ignoring the infrastructure concerns raised by both residents and the expert committee.
