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Residents in multiple areas of Gurugram are complaining about the construction of stilt plus four-floor buildings, citing noise and air pollution. They have submitted a petition urging the district administration to revoke the policy allowing such structures on residential plots. The policy is currently under review after facing protests, with a panel analysing the situation and seeking expert opinions. Concerns about population density, weakened foundations, and health hazards from construction dust have been raised. The decision on the policy's future is expected by the end of the following month.
Residents of several areas in the city have raised concerns over the rampant construction of stilt plus four-floor buildings, alleging that it is causing significant noise and air pollution. In response, they have submitted a petition and appealed to the district administration to scrap the policy that allows such structures to be built on residential plots.
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The policy, which permits the construction of stilt plus four-floor buildings, is currently on hold after facing protests from resident groups earlier this year. In light of the opposition, the government formed a panel to review the policy. In a recent development, residents from sectors 14, 49, 50, 52, 53, 56, and 72, as well as South City-1 and DLF-1 areas, submitted the petition to the panel, urging them to reconsider the policy.
One of the residents, Parimal Bardhan, who has been living in DLF-1 since 2000, expressed their frustration by stating that they are contemplating moving to another city. They lamented that the once peaceful and green locality has now transformed into a dust bowl with constant noise pollution due to these constructions. Bardhan further highlighted concerns about the increasing population density resulting from the construction of builder floors, which often accommodate one family on each storey, putting a strain on the availability of essential amenities such as water supply.
Ruchika Sethi, a resident of Nirvana Country in Sector 50, shared her experience of how the construction of an adjacent building had weakened the foundation of her house. She emphasized the harmful effects of demolition dust, which remains in the air for days, causing a rise in dust pollution. Construction materials dumped in the vicinity of residential areas exacerbate this problem.
Health experts also raised alarms about the hazardous impact of uncovered construction materials, especially in residential areas. Dr. Neetu Jain, a pulmonologist at PSRI Hospital in Delhi, warned that the presence of silica dust mixed with other particulate matter at construction sites can lead to long-term breathing problems and potentially irreversible damage to the lungs.
The controversial policy allowing stilt plus four-floor buildings was introduced in 2017 when the government amended the Haryana Building Code. It granted owners of plotted houses the permission to construct ground plus three floors with a stilt parking space. The Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) clarified at the time that people could now build a stilt and four additional floors on their plots.
P. Raghavendra Rao, the chairman of the panel responsible for reviewing the policy, acknowledged that they have received over 100 petitions from residents' groups across the state. He reassured the public that their sentiments and opinions are being considered. The panel has scheduled a meeting on June 1 to discuss the policy, where they will seek input from structural and architectural experts. They aim to provide clarity on the matter by the end of the following month.
As the residents continue to voice their concerns and the panel evaluates the policy, the future of the construction of stilt plus four-floor buildings in residential areas remains uncertain. The decision reached by the panel will have significant implications for the affected residents and the overall urban development of the city.
This story was first published by ET Realty
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