The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently expressed concerns about urban planning practices that it believes are leading to the creation of ‘organised urban slums’ across the country. This criticism emerged during a session on Thursday, where a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor scrutinized the practice of allowing purchasable floor area ratio (FAR) in Haryana.
The purchasable FAR allows developers and property owners in Haryana to extend their building’s floor area by paying an additional fee, surpassing the normal FAR limits set by building regulations. The court was addressing a series of petitions that highlighted alleged illegal constructions in DLF City, Gurugram. As per the court, the frequent increase in FAR is converting planned townships into unplanned slums, primarily driven by revenue generation motives.
“How can norms be relaxed just by paying a fee?” questioned the court. It emphasized the need for regularizing only those constructions that comply with existing building by-laws, criticizing the purchasable FAR concept as it undermines the essence of urban township planning. The court equated it to a ‘pay and commit offence’ system, promising to delve deeper into these issues in its forthcoming judgment.
In a prior ruling from February 2025, the High Court had directed Haryana authorities to address around 4,000 unauthorized constructions in DLF City, Gurugram, within two months. This directive was based on violations of the Zoning Plan, Building Bye Laws, and Haryana Building Code. However, the Supreme Court overturned this decision in October 2025, instructing the High Court to revisit the matter, ensuring that all affected parties have a chance to present their case.
During Thursday’s proceedings, which lasted over two hours, the High Court highlighted the complications arising from constructions exceeding planned norms. It noted that the original township planning, including road widths and infrastructure, was based on certain standards, which are now compromised.
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“Allowing such expansions results in multiple dwelling units, leading to increased vehicular congestion and strained neighbor relations due to parking disputes,” the court observed. It contrasted this with Chandigarh, where adherence to building norms has prevented such issues. Designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, Chandigarh’s broader roads were initially planned to accommodate fewer people, yet they have successfully catered to the city’s growth.
The court further remarked on the prevalent trend of having separate plans for map sanctioning and regularizing illegal constructions. “They have everything in mind. To what extent can we go?” it questioned, as the session concluded with the promise of continuing arguments on the following day.
Representing the petitioners was Senior Advocate Amit Jhanji, while Additional Advocate General Ankur Mittal appeared for the State of Haryana. Senior Advocate Aashish Chopra also participated in the matter.
