HC issues notice to Haryana government over revived S+4 floor policy

                Gurgaon: Two weeks after the Haryana govt 
revoked its decision to pause implementation 
of the S+4 floor policy, Punjab and Haryana 
high court has issued a notice to it besides 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.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition — 
challenging the construction of four-floor 
buildings with stilt parking in Gurgaon — has 
been submitted by a resident of Sushant Lok.
Petitioner Sunil Kumar Singh argues that the 
state govt's decision to permit these 
constructions, despite a lack of adequate 
infrastructure, is detrimental to the city's 
overall well-being.
The PIL was heard on Thursday by a bench led 
by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, 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.
The petition argues that Gurgaon's 
infrastructure is already overwhelmed, with 
frequent issues like overflowing sewage, 
inadequate waste disposal, poor drainage and 
deteriorating 
roads.
The city's electricity and water supply systems 
are strained and the situation will worsen if 
more multi-floor buildings are constructed 
without infrastructure upgrades, it says.
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.


Source : Economic Times