HC notice to govt over nod to embargoed S+4 policy

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put Haryana on notice on a petition filed in public interest challenging, among other things, the “arbitrary, unplanned, and unsustainable” decision to revoke a self-imposed embargo on stilt+4 constructions. The notice by the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal for October 23 came on a petition filed against the State and another respondent by Sunil Singh.

The Haryana Government placed a ban on new stilt+4 approvals on March 23, 2023, following widespread concerns from resident welfare associations and citizens regarding the inability of Gurugram’s infrastructure to cope with the increased population and traffic that would result from such constructions.

The government had constituted an expert committee on March 16, 2023, to study the situation and make appropriate recommendations. The expert committee’s report highlighted significant shortcomings in Gurugram’s water and sewage infrastructure and said no further approval for stilt+4 constructions should be granted unless a detailed infrastructure capacity audit was conducted. The government issued the impugned notification dated July 2 allowing the resumption of S+4 constructions.