HOUSING PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

LTPMC

3 0 0 100 3

1. INTRODUCTION TO HOUSING

Definition of Basic Terms House, Home, Household, Apartments - Objectives of National

Housing Policies, Principle of Sustainable Housing, Housing Laws at State level, Local bodies
Bye-laws at Urban and Rural Level and Development Control Regulations, Institutions for
Housing at National, State and Local levels.
2. HOUSING PROGRAMMES

Basic Concepts Contents and Standards for Housing Programmes - Sites and Services,
Neighborhoods, Open Development Plots, Apartments, Rental Housing, Co-operative Housing,
Slum Housing Programme, Role of Public, Private and Non-Government Organizations.
3. PLANNING AND DESIGN OF HOUSING PROJECTS

Formulation of Housing Projects Site Analysis, Layout Design, Design of Housing Units
(Design Problems) Bye Laws
4. CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND COST-EFFECTIVE MATERIALS

New Constructions Techniques Cost Effective Modern Construction Materials, Building

Centers Concept, Functions and Performance Evaluation
5. HOUSING FINANCE AND PROJECT APPRAISAL

Appraisal of Housing Projects Housing Finance, Cost Recovery Cash Flow Analysis,
Subsidy and Cross Subsidy, Pricing of Housing Units, Rents, Recovery Pattern (Problems)
Micro finance.
Total : 45 Hours
Text Books:
1. Meera Mehta and Dinesh Mehta, Metropolitan Housing Markets, Sage Publications
Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1999.
2. Francis Cherunilam and Odeyar D Heggade, Housing in India, Himalaya
Publishing House, Bombay, 1997.
References:
1. Development Control Rules for Chennai Metropolitan Area, CMA, Chennai, 2002.
2. UNCHS, National Experiences with Shelter Delivery for the Poorest Groups,
UNCHS (Habitat), Nairobi, 1994.
3. National Housing Policy, 1994, Government of India.
1

UNIT 1
INTRODUCTION TO HOUSING
1.1 DEFINITION OF BASIC TERMS
HOUSE
Def: It is the physical building for a man to live in. It is one of the basic requirements of a
man with provide him shelter against weather. And also it is one of the three basic necessaries of
life and is thus primary unit of habilitation.
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by
human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings
ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures.
In some contexts, "house" may mean the same as dwelling, residence, home, abode,
lodging, accommodation, or housing, among other meanings.
HOME
Def: It is the dwelling place of man including the physical building and his family circle
residing with him who provides him an environmental offering security and happiness.
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place
in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Popular sayings along
these lines are "Home is where the heart is" or "You can never go home again".
HOUSE HOLD
Def: A domestic unit consisting of the members of a family who live together along with
non relatives such as servants. The living spaces and possessions belonging to such a unit. The
persons who commonly live in house. The term refers to all individuals who live in the same
dwelling.
The household (HH) is "the basic residential unit in which economic production,
consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out". It may or may
not be synonymous with family.
APARTMENTS
2

Def: A room or suit of room designed as residence and generally located in a building
occupied by more than one household. An apartment or a flat consists of three to seven storeys
and each storey has numbers of household.
An apartment (in American English) or flat (in British English) is a self-contained
housing unit that occupies only part of a building. Such a building may be called an apartment
building. Apartments may be owned by an owner/occupier or rented by tenants.
MULTI STORY BUILDING
Def: Multi-storeyed building can be defined as one that, by virtue of its height, is
affected by lateral forces due to wind or earthquake or both to an extent that they play an
important role in the structural design. Such structures were constructed for defense and to show
pride of the population in their civilization.
The growth in modern multi-storeyed building construction, which began in late
nineteenth century, is intended largely for commercial and residential purposes. The building
which has more than 2 floors is called as multi storeyed building.
SPECIAL BUILDING
Def: Special building can be defined as the building or structure which has the modern
techniques and differ from normal residential building. It has some unique changes in dimension
or shape of living portions, most probably those building are designed for not own residential
purpose such as hotel, restaurants, and commercial.
NATIONAL HOUSING POLICY (NHP)
In the year of following IYSH (International Year of Shelter for the Homeless), the Indian
government came out with a national housing policy (NHP) to declare its political will to
intensify the housing activity in the country. The preliminary draft was presented in Aug 1986
and final policy was announced on 12-5-1988.
Thus the IYSH provided the necessary push for NHP. So that the engineers architects,
town planners and housing finance can evolve viable strategies issues relating to the housing.
3

The Need for Policy

Shelter is one of the basic human needs just next to food and clothing.
Need for a National Housing and Habitat Policy emerges from the growing requirements
of shelter and related infrastructure.
These requirements are growing in the context of rapid pace of urbanization, increasing
migration from rural to urban centers in search of livelihood, mis-match between demand
and supply of sites & services at affordable cost and inability of most new and poorer
urban settlers to access formal land markets in urban areas due to high costs and their
own lower incomes, leading to a non-sustainable situation.
This policy intends to promote sustainable development of habitat in the country, with a
view to ensure equitable supply of land, shelter and services at affordable prices.
OBJECTIVES OF NHP
Housing Policy Objectives would focus to evolve an enabling strategy aiming at:
To create the environment for achieving the maximum housing, efforts.
To encourage investment in housing.
To motivate and help houseless and inadequately housed people to secure for themselves
affordable shelter.
To promote vernacular architecture.
Encouraging indigenous approaches in Research and Development to support housing
activity particularly for low income groups.
Developing indigenous and cost effective approaches particularly for Low income group.
Provision of institutional incentives for improved housing delivery for the rural areas and
preparation of Rural Housing Plans and schemes.
Realizing the importance of role of Private Sector, introduce incentives to encourage their
full participation in National Building initiatives.
Promote women participations in this important national building actively.
STRATEGY OF NHP

The high population growth, combined with difficulties in governance and inadequate
investment in urban development has resulted in uncontrolled and unplanned growth of cities
and towns, deterioration in urban environment and deficiency in all forms of services.
The absence of large scale flexible institutional financing over all phases of housing
development, land development, construction, bridge and mortgage financing is both cause and
effect of the under-developed housing delivery system.
The Policy has been prepared with a practical approach to achieve the following aims and
objectives:
To provide enabling strategy, capacity-building and institutional development aiming at
empowering all stake holders, particularly local authorities, the private sector, nonGovernmental organizations and community-based organizations, to play an effective
role in shelter and human settlements planning and management.
To introduce a strategy that would combine community participation and institutional
strengthening in support of the development of a commercially based system of housing
finance for land and house purchase; house construction improvement and upgrading.
In addition, innovative approaches to collateral and screening of eligible households for
incremental housing finance and home improvement credits which are compatible with
the affordability limits of moderate and low income households would be introduced.
To improve the housing conditions of the low-income population, through development
capacity building and institution of new ideas, such as reduced housing standards,
appropriate technology, incremental housing development, community participation and
squatter-settlement regulation.
To upgrade existing towns and cities with better city planning through improvement of
infrastructure, creation of employment opportunities and affordable housing under a
5

phased programme, giving higher attention to those cities and towns which are
comparatively more productive and efficient and require lower investments.
Long term solution for housing lies in this sector, which should be a High Priority for
economic development.
PRINCIPLE / ACTION TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE HOUSING

Documenting environmental resources.

Assessing their value in their long range economic.
Pegging needs at reasonable levels.
Minimize the wastage.
Optimization of existing facilities.
Ensuring equity.
Working for bottom up decision.
Full stakeholder involvement.
Be a watching dog for monitoring purpose.

IMPORTANT FEATURES OF NHP

1. Design aspects
It focuses on design aspects of the houses with regard to their location and type
region, whether it be hilly, desert land or coastal.
2. Fiscal Incentives
The fiscal incentives under the law relating to taxation of income.
Wealth and gifts will be rationalized by proper savings into housing finance
institutions.
The co-operative and group of housing society is to be treated on priority basis.
3. Housing schemes
Consideration of physically mentally and disabled, the aged, widows and
incorporate dwelling units of appropriate design.
4. National housing bank
National housing bank has been set up; it will lead to easy accessibility of
institutional finance at affordable rates of interest to the houseless peoples.
5. Rationalized law
The entire gamut of legal provisions contained in different act is to be reviewed.
Wherever necessary the laws relating to land tenure, acquisition and ceiling are to
be made.

 The municipal regulations relating to the house building, apartments ownership

and other will also be initiated wherever necessary.
6. Role of government
Role of government will be that of a promoter and enabler rather than that of a
builder.
The govt. people build houses for themselves at the same time; it has to discharge
the vital role of sustaining a regular supply of service land, steady flow of finance
of easy availability of building materials.
It has also to provide essential service like portable water, sanitation, drainage,
street lighting, and paved pathways.

CRITICISM OF NHP
The presentation of NHP document has generated some lively Criticism on various grounds,
the important ones being followed;
1. Ambitious goal
The task cannot be accomplished in matter of few years in a
people do not have even enough eat and survive.
2. Course of action
The NHP set out, commendable goals, but it fails to outline

country

the

action

where

plan

required to achieve them.

3. Housing finance
The authorized capital of the national housing bank is too small to meet the huge
investments of 145000 crore which is estimated to be required till the turn off the
century.
4. Pro-urban attitude
The NHP seems to be pro-urban. It is mainly oriented towards rich developers and
private contractors.
THE NATIONAL HOUSING POLICY 1994
The National Housing Policy 1994 recognises the importance of both rural and urban
housing in the overall development of rural people and urban poor. The existing central sector
housing schemes aimed at benefiting the urban poor are proposed to be continued.
A National Network of Nirman or Nirmithi Kendras (Building Centers) has been
established with central assistance through the Housing and Urban Development Corporation
(HUDCO). As on 31.12.97, 500 centers have been given administrative approval out of which
270 centers had become functional.
7

The on going social housing schemes viz. Housing scheme for Economically Weaker
Sections (EWS), Lower Income Groups (LIG), Middle Income Groups/Higher Income Groups
(MIG/HIG) and rental housing scheme for State Government employees continue to be
implemented by State Governments.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMME FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
(National Workshop on Pro-Poor Housing Finance October 29, 2008, New Delhi by
Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Government of India)
Structure of presentation
Housing Policies over the years
Urban Housing Scenario in India
Major Government Initiatives and Programme for Affordable Housing
Way Forward
Housing Policies over the years
First National Housing Policy in India formulated in 1988.
With change of Government in 1990, a new National Housing Policy announced in
August, 1994.
Further, new National Housing & Habitat Policy announced in July, 1998
With some landmark initiatives like involvement of multi-stakeholders.
Repeal of Urban Land Ceiling Act.
Permitting Foreign Direct Investment in housing and real estate sector, etc.
However, all these policies were generic and applicable to both rural and urban areas.
Taking into account emerging challenges of required shelter and growth of slums, the
first ever urban areas specific National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy, 2007 was
announced in December 2007.
Urban Housing Scenario in India
Indian urban population in 2001 was 27.8% of the total population.
Over 5 decades, annual growth of urban population ranged between 2.7 to 3.8%. During
last decade it increased at annual rate of 2.7%.
The process of urbanisation is marked by increasing concerntration in larger cities.
It is projected that by 2041, Indias urban population will be 50%.
Access to Housing 2001
Household having

%age of Households

No Exclusive Room

2.3

One Room

35.1
8

Two Rooms

29.5

More than two Rooms

33.1

Quality of Housing Stock

The figure in Parenthesis is the total housing stock (in Million)

* Source:
Technical Group on Estimation of Urban
Housing Shortage.

2
8

Growth of Slums

61
.8

4
6

90% belong to
informal
with

sector
no

assurance of a
steady income.
9

Housing Shortage and Requirement

Estimation by Technical Group
Housing shortage at the beginning
of 11th Five Year Plan (1.4.2007)

24.71 million
dwelling units

Additional Housing Requirement

for the 11th Plan (2007-2012)

1.82 million
dwelling units

Total housing requirement during

11th Plan Period including the
carried over housing shortage

26.53 million
dwelling units

Housing Shortage BREAK-UP

Estimated Urban Housing Unit Shortage as on 1.4.2007
Total
:
24.71 million
EWS
:
21.78 million
LIG
:
2.89 million
MIG/HIG
:
0.04 million
More than 99% shortage is for EWS/LIG segments Technical
Committee set up by Ministry of Housing & Urban.
Classify the People

Financial Investment Required for Overcoming Shortage

Total requirement including basic infrastructure - Rs.600, 000 crore
Strategy to Deal with Housing Shortage
10

 There is no specific target fixed in the Plan document. However, the strategy to deal with
Housing shortage of 27.41 million will be:
JNNURM
more than 1.5 million
ISHUP
0.31 million
AHIP
1 million
In addition to this, State sectors, HUDCO, HFIs/Banks and Cooperative Sector will also
contribute.
Key Issues & Concerns
Land and colonization being State subjects, Housing is a State subject and the
responsibility for tackling the housing shortage primarily vests with the State
Governments.
As against total requirement of Rs.600,000 crore allocation made to this Ministry under
11th Plan for Housing,
For JNNURM
For ISHUP
For AHIP
Total

Rs. 18000 crore

Rs. 1100 crore
Rs. 5000 crore
Rs. 24100 crore

Major Government Initiatives and Programmes for Affordable Housing

(Initiatives by Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation)
Formulation of National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy 2007 (NUHHP).
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP).
Affordable Housing in Partnership(AHIP) : Modification in JNNURM
Setting up of a High Power Task Force on Affordable Housing.

NATIONAL URBAN HOUSING AND HABITAT POLICY 2007

Salient Features
Goal of the Policy is Affordable Housing for All with special emphasis on the urban poor.
Strategy framework is multiple partnerships of States with various stakeholders,
cooperatives, employee welfare housing organisations, private sector.
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL URBAN MISSION (JNNURM)
JNNURM was launched in December 2005 with aim to cover construction of 1.5 m
houses for urban poor during the Mission period (2005- 2012).
It has two Sub-Missions:
BASIC SERVICES FOR THE URBAN POOR (BSUP) seeks to provide seven
entitlements/services - security of tenure, affordable housing, water, sanitation, health,
education and social security in low income segments in the 65 Mission Cities.
11

 THE INTEGRATED HOUSING AND SLUM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

(IHSDP) seeks to provide the above mentioned 7 entitlements, services in towns/cities
other than the Mission Cities.
Under JNNURM, more than 1.5 million houses have been sanctioned for the poor
About 1300 projects have been sanctioned covering urban India
These projects involve an outlay of more than Rs.33,860 crore and Central Govt. subsidy
of Rs.18,500 crore
INTEREST SUBSIDY SCHEME FOR HOUSING THE URBAN POOR (ISHUP)
A new Pilot Scheme for providing interest subsidy on housing loans availed by EWS/LIG
availed for acquisition/construction of house
Encourages poor sections to avail of loan facilities through Banks/HFCs
Subsidy will be 5% on the interest charge for EWS/LIG upto Rs.1 lakh for the full period

of the loan
Loan repayment period permissible 15 to 20 years.
Levy of pre-payment charges would not be permitted.
Targets to cover 0.31 million households under EWS/LIG segments
Total subsidy during 11th Plan Rs.1100 crore.
Scheme is biased in favour of banks. All concerns of banks have been incorporated in the

scheme.
Lot of inbuilt risk in the scheme like borrower should have a plot
Subsidy is disbursed upfront on basis of NPV
Repayment liability of borrowers has been considerably reduced (EMI is less than
20% of monthly household income)
Scheme has received positive response from banks and States both.
Affordable Housing in Partnership: Modification in JNNURM
Modification in the guidelines of JNNURM to facilitate and incentive land assembly for
affordable housing.
Provision of central assistance of 25% for the cost of the provision of civic services for
projects for affordable housing at an approximate cost of Rs.5000 crore.
The objective of the scheme would be to support the construction of 1 million affordable
dwelling units in the first phase, with a minimum of 0.25 million EWS dwelling units.
Disbursement of funds linked to the actual provision of amenities. A normative cap per
EWS/LIG dwelling unit to be fixed in consultation with the States for the purpose.
Criterion for eligible projects:
Dwelling units should be a mix of EWS/LIG/MIG categories with the maximum size of a
dwelling unit being at 1200 sq.ft super area, with at least 25% of them for EWS of
300 sq. ft.

12

 The States would be encouraged to promote projects in the Public Private Partnership
(PPP) mode in a manner in which there are competing private sector suppliers in the
market for affordable housing.
State Governments could also consider seeding new areas for development through their
Housing Boards, Development Authorities as well as through the various employee
welfare organizations.
The scheme will be operated in the same manner as the JNNURM.
Task Force on Affordable Housing
Ministry set up Task Force headed by Deepak Parekh on Affordable Housing for defining
Affordability, suggesting financial instruments and other measure to reach the goal
Report submitted in December 2008
11 main recommendations of the Task Force
1 on what can be termed affordable;
1 on the need to gather statistics;
4 on making land available at reasonable cost;
1 addressing rental housing;
1 asking for state Boards to be revived;
2 suggesting how to garner financial resources;
1 on reducing costs of construction by technology innovation; and
The important ones pertain to the definition, land issues and financing.
Ministry is taking a final view on the recommendation of the Task Force.
Way Forward
Central Government
JNNURM and social housing to be given stronger boost with reform emphasis,
additional funds and new components
State Governments
State Housing Board to be reactivated with definite purpose and definite targets.
Land to be provided at nominal cost for economically weaker sections and
controlled prices for LIG and MIG
Cooperative Societies to be encouraged
Effective partnership between Govt. and private sector in the form of earmarking
of land for EWS/LIG
Partnership
Effective partnership between central government, state govts., parastatals, private
sector, cooperative sector, employees welfare housing societies.
Rental Housing
Rental housing is to be encouraged by way of amendment in the rent control laws
and also using as a tax instrument which need to be crafted to avoid evasion.
CONCLUSION:
13

Development of a roadmap jointly for achieving the objective of Affordable Housing for All.
BUILDING BYE LAW
Def: A Bye law is a local law framed by a subordinate authority. Bye laws are defined as
the standards and specifications designed to grant minimum safeguards to the workers during
construction, to the health and comfort of users, and to provide enough safety to the public in
general.
Every locality has peculiarities of its own and with respect to its conditions, availability
of material, labors and other local factors etc.,
It becomes very economical to construct any building in a definite planned way.
So every local authority under his jurisdiction has got the following two types of areas.
1. Gamtal or gaothan
The land valves of these areas are much higher and hence, the bye law is framed in
liberal way.
2. Revenue
These areas are covered under a town planning schemes which controls the uses of
land, roads, etc.
The building bye law should not be confused with zoning regulations. The former
regulates the construction aspects of buildings. The latter regulates the uses of land and
buildings
The difference between the following terms should also be noted
Standard
: It refers to a fixed or an established rule.
Norm
: An authoritative standard is known as the norm.
Regulation : An order prescribed is known as the regulation.
Bye law
: The law of local authority is known as the bye law and it is
Supplementary law or regulation.
Law
: The rules of state or community are termed as law.
OBJECTIVES OF BUILDING BYE LAWS
The bye laws are necessary to achieve these following purposes or objectives:
1. It becomes easier to preplan the building activities.
2. The provisions of bye laws give guidelines to the architect or engineer.
3. It prevents unexpected development with out any resemblance to the development area.
4. The provisions of bye laws gives afford safety to human beings who work and live
against fire noise, health hazard and structural failure.
IMPORTANCE OF BYE LAWS
To improve the dwelling units with required amenities and heath conditions. The contents
of building bye laws should be framed in scientific way.
14

 It is desirable to take assistance while framing law of experts on various subjects such as
town planning, civil engineering, health, traffic, general administration.
The consultation by the local authority is desired on the, following three grounds:
1. Consultation with superior authority:
The local authority will get some ideas from superior authority, usually higher
level government, before attempting any projects to change or modify the bye law. Such
consultation is necessary for keeping the smooth relationship between national govt. and
local govt. for local policies.
2. Consultation with subordinate authority:
It is necessary for the local authority to consult subordinate neighboring or
independent public authorities who are likely to be affected or influenced by the bye law
of the locality. Such a policy will lead to some degree of consistency in collective public
policy.
3. Consultation with interested groups:
The local authority is should try to secure support of its policy by consulting
interested groups such as chambers of commerce, professional bodies, etc.
APPLICABILITY OF THE BUILDING BYELAWS:
The Building Byelaws shall apply to the building under the following circumstance:
1. Additions and alternations to the building:
If owner desire to make any certain alternations, additions, extension, the plans showing
the proposed work should be got prepared from the licensed person for submission to the
concerned authority.
The owner can carry out such additions, alternation, etc. only after getting his plan
approved by the concerned authority.
2. New construction:
The plan showing the project on a particular site has to be sanctioned clearly with
suitable bye laws before commencing the work.
3. Requirement of open space:
The open space shown on plan, it has to be kept permanently open.
If bye law is subsequently amended and if it becomes legal to cover the open space, the
same can be carried out only after getting permission from concerned authority.
SET BACK:
Def: Set back may be defined as frontage margin or open space in front of the street or
road as shown in fig 1, and the width of set-back various from 1.00 to 1.50m for congested area
and 4.50 to 6.00m for new developed area. It is also referred as building line.

15

In connection with light plane, the horizontal distance to be left from vertical face of the
building is also known as the set back shown fig 2.

S
BUILDI
NG

S
Road BUILDI
NG

Road

Fig 1 set back

Advantages of set back:
If necessary of any extension of roads, part of set-back may be acquired.
If set-back is uniform, the buildings are constructing parallel to the axis of road, resulting in

improvement of road.
The provision of set-back results, better air, light and ventilation of building.
Set-back in street will improve the visibility and impart safety to the traffic.
The space of set-back can be used for parking place and developing garden.
They are necessary for the protection of the building nuisance.
They reduce the danger of fire from opposite building.

LIGHT PLAN:
In city area or gamtal area as it is known, the construction is allowed to full area without the
provision of margins on any side, in such cases it becomes necessary to check the height of one
building does not obstruct the ventilation of the property on the other side of road.
For this purpose the light plan is usually marked at a suitable angle from the edge of road on other
side to height of building. The angle of light plan is 45o or 63.50o, latter being very common
with an angle 63.50o.
The set-back is necessary when the total height of the building exceeds twice the width of road or
street.
Second

16

Light plan

Floor
First floor

Ground floor
63.50o

Road width
Fig 2 light plan

FLOOR SPACE INDEX:

Def: The ratio of the total build up area inclusive of walls of all the floors to the area of the land
on which the building stands is known as the floor space index (FSI). It is also known as floor area
ratio (F.A.R). It various for different area and F.S.I are determined by local authority.
F.S.I or F.A.R = Build up area x100 / Area of land.
For e.g. The plot area is 450m2 and if permissible F.S.I is 1.00.what will be the buildup areas to be
achieve?
The maximum build up area can be put on a plot of 450m2. The permissible build area can either
be consumed in five floors of 90m2 or three floor of each being 150m2.
However for computing F.S.I, the following items are not added in the total build up area,

Space under building constructed on stilts or pillars and used as a parking space.
Basement or cellar used as the air-conditioning plant room, parking space or storage.
Electric cabin and electric substation, water pump room, electric meter room, stairs.
Projections, architectural features, chimneys and elevated water storage tanks.
Wells boring and tube wells.
17

Floating F.S.I or system of T.D.R:

Def: The term floating F.S.I means, the difference between permissible F.S.I and the F.S.I
utilized, indicates the balanced or available F.S.I on the own plot.
The T.D.R (Translate Development System) system is difficult in nature; the city Bombay is the
first one to have adopted the T.D.R concept in a regulated manner for land acquisition and development of
city. Some of the broad guidelines are as follows,
The T.D.R is not permitted to be utilized on the coastal areas and on plot of major roads.
The island city being more congested and highly developed, the T.D.R is not allowed to be used
in this area of city.
It transfers the similar plats only such as residential for residential and commercial for
commercial.

OFF STREET PARKING:

The public parking facility are inadequate and hence, when a new building is
constructed for uses or old building is changed to any of the uses, the bye laws relating to offstreet parking are to be respected.
Most of the bye-laws contain provisions of three vehicles only such as cars, scooter, and
cycles. The usual parking spaces mentioned for these units is an under,
Car
:
5.50 x 2.50m
Scooter
:
2.50 x 0.50m
Cycles
:
2.00 x 0.50m
Depending upon the use of the building, the bye laws specially the provision to be made
for the parking spaces of cars, scooter, cycles. The table 1 shows the typical usual street parking
required for various types of structure.
Table 1 Typical off street parking for vehicles
s.n
o

Types of use

Off street parking

One car parking One
scooter One
for every

parking for every

parking
every

18

cycle
for

Cinema

theatre/public 25 seats

assembly hall
Colleges
Hospital/Nursing home
Industries
1.Big
2.Small
5
Secondary school
The following points to be noted:
2
3
4

10 seats

5 seats

100 students
250m2 floor area

50 students
100m2 floor area

2 students
50m2 floor area

25 nos
2 nos
250 students

150nos
5 nos
100 students

600 nos
20 nos
10 students

If the parking is not provided at street level, the gradient of ramp leading to parking space
should not exceed 14.3%, i.e. the vertical rise should not be more than 1 meter over a
horizontal distance of 7m.
It is necessary to put up the sign board indicating the location of parking spaces for
different types of vehicles.
The exceptions in the off-street parking may be granted in deserving cases such as:
Area of land gamtal is less than 800m2
Area of land in T.P scheme is less than 800m2
Height of building is not exceeding 10m.
And special building used as temple, mosque, and prayer hall, etc.
FIRE PROTECTIONS:
As the tendency at present is to construct high rise buildings, the problem of fire
protection should also be the property accommodated in building bye laws. Some of the
provisions are:
Lift and stair
o If height of building is 20 m or more, at least one fire lift and one more stair case
shall have to be provided.
Water supply
o Building having height 13m to 25m, the provision of an underground storage tank
of 75000 liters capacity is necessary.
o When height exceeds 25m, the internal fire hydrants will have to be installed and
entire system will connect with public water main line.
Special provisions
o Separate electric circuits should be provided for the operation of lifts, pumps,
o

lights in corridors, etc.

If building height is more than 50m, a stand by generator is provided for

operating lifts, lights, etc.

o Control room of minimum size of 20m 2 should be provided on ground floor with
direct connection of fire station.
19

S.No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Development of plot
One domestic unit
Semi-detached two units
Detached semi detached buildings,
Workshop, post office, bank, infant school.
Three semi detached domestic unit,
retail shops, hotel, restaurant etc.
Four semi detached domestic unit and
ownership tenement flat
Shopping centre, petrol pump, garage.
Hostel, lecture hall and high rise building
Colleges, high schools, theaters.

Minimum size of plot

200m2
300m2
333m2
500m2
665m2
1000m2
1500m2
2000m2

MINIMUM PLOT SIZES:

Depending upon the type of development, the bye laws of a locality may prescribe a
definite minimum size of plot for a particular type of development. Table 2 shows the various
sizes of plot for various developments:
Table 2

SOME OTHER TERMS AND MEANINGS IN BYE LAWS:

"Act"- The Act of the concerned Local Body/Authority.
"Advertising Sign'- Any surface or structure with characters, letters or illustrations applied
thereto and displayed in any manner whatsoever out of door for the purpose of advertising or
giving information regarding or to attract the public to any place, person, public performance,
article, or merchandise, and which surface or structure is attached to, form part of, or is
connected with any building, or is fixed to a tree or to the ground or to any pole screen, fence or

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hoarding or displayed in space, or in or over any water body included in the jurisdiction of the
concerned Authority.
" Authority"- The concerned local body having jurisdiction over the matter referred to, herein
after called the Authority or concerned Authority.
" Application"- An application made in such form as may be prescribed by the Authority from
time to time.
" Area"- In relation to a building means the superficies of a horizontal section thereof made at
the plinth level inclusive of the external walls and of such portions of the party walls as belong to
the building.
" Air-conditioning"- A process of treating air to control simultaneously its temperature,
humidity, cleanliness and distribution to meet the requirement of an enclosed space.
" Addition and/or Alteration"- A structural change including an addition to the area or change
in height or the removal of part of building, or any change to the structure, such as the
construction or removal or cutting into of any wall or part of a wall, partition, column, beam,
joist, floor including a mezzanine floor or other support, or a change to or closing of any required
means of access ingress or egress or a change to fixtures or equipment" as provided in these ByeLaws.
" Amenity" -Includes roads, street, open spaces, parks, recreational grounds, play grounds,
gardens, water supply, electric supply, street lighting, sewerage, drainage, public works and other
utilities, services and conveniences.
" Approved"- As approved/sanctioned by the concerned Authority under these Bye- Laws.
"Balcony"- A horizontal projection, cantilevered or otherwise including a parapet" handrail
balustrade, to serve as a passage or sitting out place.

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"Barsati"- A habitable room/rooms on the roof of the building with or without toilet/kitchen.
"Basement or Cellar"- The lower story of a building below, or partly below the ground level.
"Building"- A structure constructed with any materials whatsoever for any purpose, whether
used for human habitation or not, and includes: i) Foundation, plinth, walls, floors, roofs, chimneys, plumbing and building services, fixed
platforms etc.
ii) Verandahs, balconies, cornices, projections etc.
iii) Parts of a building or anything affixed thereto;
iv) Any wall enclosing or intended to enclose any land or space, sign and outdoor display
structures; etc.,
v) Tanks constructed or fixed for storage of chemicals or chemicals in liquid form and for
storage of water, effluent, swimming pool, ponds etc.,
vi) All types of buildings as defined in (a) to (q) below, except tents, shamianas and tarpaulin
shelters erected temporarily for temporary purposes and ceremonial occasions, shall be
considered to be "buildings".
Assembly Building"- A building or part thereof, where groups of people congregate or gather
for amusement, recreation, social, religious, patriotic, civil, travel and similar purposes and these
includes buildings of drama and cinemas theatres, drive-in-theatres, assembly halls, city halls,
town halls, auditoria, exhibition halls, museums, "mangal karyalayas" skating rinks, gymnasia,
restaurants, eating or boarding houses, places of worship, dance halls, clubs, gymkhanas and
road, railways, air, sea or other public transportation stations and recreation
"Business Building"- Includes any building or part thereof used principally for transaction of
business and/or keeping of accounts and records therefore including offices, banks professional
establishments, court houses etc., if their principal function is transaction of business and/or
keeping of books and records.

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"Education Building"- Includes a building exclusively used for a school or college, recognized
by the appropriate Board or University, or any other competent Authority involving assembly for
instruction, education or recreation incidental to educational use, and including a building for
such other uses as research institution. It shall also include quarters for essential staff required to
reside in the premises, and building used as a hostel captive to an educational institution whether
situated in its campus or not.

"Hazardous Building"- Includes a building or part thereof used for:

i) Storage, handling, manufacture of processing of radioactive substances or of highly
combustible or explosive materials or of products which are liable to burn with extreme
rapidity and/or producing poisonous fumes or explosive emanations;
ii) Storage, handling, manufacture or processing of which involves highly corrosive, toxic or
noxious alkalis, acids, or other liquids, gases or chemicals producing flame, fumes and
explosive mixtures etc. or which result in division of matter into fine particles capable of
spontaneous ignition.
"Industrial Building"- Includes a building or part thereof wherein products or material are
fabricated, assembled or processed, such as assembly plants, laboratories, power plants,
refineries, gas plants, mills, dairies and factories etc.,
"Institutional Building"- Includes a building constructed by Government, semi- Government
organizations or Registered Trusts and used for medical or other treatment, or for an auditorium
or complex for cultural and allied activities or for an hospice, care of persons suffering from
physical or mental illness, handicap, disease or infirmity, care of orphans, abandoned women,
children and infants, convalescents, destitute or aged persons and for penal or correctional
detention with restricted liberty of the inmates ordinarily providing sleeping accommodation, and
includes dharamshalas, hospitals, sanatoria, custodial and penal institutions such as jails, prisons,
mental hospitals, houses of correction, detention and reformatories etc.,

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"Mercantile Building"- Includes a building or part thereof used as shops, stores or markets for
display and sale of wholesale or retail goods or merchandise, including office, storage and
service facilities incidental thereto and located in the same building.
"Multi-Storeyed Building or High Rise Building"- A building above 4 stories, and/or a
building exceeding 15 meter or more in height above the average level of front road.
Multi Level Car Parking Building"- A building may be partly below ground level having two
or more basements or above ground level, primarily to be used for parking of cars, scooters or
any other type of light motorized vehicle.
"Office Building (premises)"- includes a building or premises or part thereof whose sole or
principal use is for an office or for officer purposes or clerical work. "Officer purposes" include
the purpose of administration, clerical work, handling money, telephone, telegraph and computer
operation; and "clerical work" includes writing, book - keeping, sorting papers, typing, filling,
duplicating, punching cards or tapes machine calculations, drawing of matter for publication and
editorial preparation of matter for publication.
"Special Building"- Includes assembly, industrial, hazardous buildings, buildings used for
wholesale establishments, hotels, hostels, centrally air conditioned buildings and which exceed
15mts. in height and have a total built up area exceeding 600 sq.mt.
"Storage Building"- A building or part thereof used primarily for storage or shelter of goods,
wares, merchandise and includes a building used as a warehouse, cold storage, freight depot,
transit shed, store house, public garage, hanger, truck terminal, grain elevator, barn and stables.
"Wholesale Establishment"- An establishment wholly or partly engaged in wholesale trade and
manufacture wholesale outlets, including related storage facilities, warehouses and
establishments engaged in truck transport, including truck transport booking agencies.

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"Residential Building"- includes a building in which sleeping and living accommodation is

provided for normal residential purposes, with cooking facilities and includes one or more family
dwellings, apartment houses, flats, and private garages of such buildings.
"Detached Building"- Includes a building with walls and roofs independent of any other
building and with open spaces on all sides within the same plot.
Semi-detached Building- A building detached on three sides with open space as specified in
these regulation.
"Mixed Land use Building"- A building partly used for non-residential activities and partly for
residential purpose.
"Unsafe Building"- Includes a building which:
i) Is structurally unsafe, or
ii) Is unsanitary, or
iii) Is not provided with adequate means of ingress or egress or
iv) Constitutes a fire hazard or
v) Is dangerous to human life or
vi) In relation to its existing use, constitutes a hazard to safety or health or public welfare by
maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment.
"Building Line"- The line upto which the plinth of building adjoining a street or an extension
of a street or on a future street may lawfully extend and includes the lines prescribed, if any, in
any scheme and/or development plan.
"Covered Area"- The Ground area covered immediately above the plinth level covered by the
building but does not include the space covered by:
a. Garden, rockery, well and well structures, plant nursery, waterpool, swimming pool (if
uncovered), platform round a tree, tank, fountain, bench, chabutra with open top and
unenclosed on sides by walls and the like;
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b. Drainage culvert, conduit, catch-pit, gully-pit, chamber, gutter and the like; and c.
Compound wall, gate, slide swing, canopy, and areas covered by Chhajja or alike projections
and staircases which are uncovered and open at least on three sides and also open to sky.
"Dwelling"- A building or a portion thereof which is designed or used wholly or principally for
residential purposes for one family.
"Fire and/or Emergency Alarm System-means an arrangement of call points or detectors,
sounders and other equipment for the transmission and indication of alarm signals working
automatically or manually in the event of fire.
Fire Lift-Means a special lift designed for the use of fire service personnel in the event of fire
or other emergency.
Fire Proof Door-Means a door or shutter fitted to a wall opening, and constructed and
erected with the requirement to check the transmission of heat and fire for a specified period.
"Fire Hazard Industries"i) "Low Fire Hazard Industries" Include engineering industries using/processing or
assembling non-combustible materials i.e. lathe machines, steel works, steel components etc.
ii) "Moderate Fire Hazard Industries"- Industries include using/processing combustible
materials but not flammable liquid etc., plastic industries, rubber, and PVC industries,
textile, paper, furniture flour mills etc.
iii) "High Fire Hazard Industries"- Includes industries using/processing flammable liquids,
gases, chemicals petroleum products, plastic or thermo setting group etc.
"Floor Area Ratio (FAR)"- The quotient of the ratio of the combined covered area (plinth area)
of all floors, excepting areas specifically exempted under these regulations, to the total area of
plot, viz.
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) = Tota1 Covered Area on All Floors x 100/Plot Area

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"Front Air Plane"- The plane contained between the ground in front of the building and the
straight lines drawn downwards and outwards from the line of intersection of the outer surface of
any front wall of the building with the roof perpendicular to that line, and at an angle of 63-1/2
degrees to the horizontal;
Note: The 63-1/2 degrees angle has a tangent of 2:1 so that if the ground is the level, the air
plane reaches the ground at a distance from the exterior wall equal to half the height of the
above level of that ground.
"Loft"- An intermediate floor between two floors or a residual space in a pitched roof above
normal level constructed for storage with maximum clear height of 1.5 meter.
"Light Plane"- The plane lying between in the line of intersection of the floor of any room in a
building with the outer surface or an exterior wall of the building and the straight lines drawn
upwards and outwards from that lines drawn upward and outwards from lines perpendicular
there to an at an angle of 63 1/2 degrees to the horizontal.
Note: for the purpose of the definition of light plane, the outer surface of any veranda abutting
on an interior or side open space shall be considered to be the exterior wall of the building.
"Masonry Unit" -An unit whose net cross-sectional area in every plane parallel to the bearing
surface is 75% or more of its gross cross-sectional area measured in the same place. It may be
either of clay, brick, stone, concrete, sand lime brick or any other construction material.
"Master Plan"- A Master Plan for town approved by the Government
"Non Combustible Material"- A material which is not liable to burn or add heat to a fire when
tested for combustibility in accordance with the latest code of Bureau Indian Standard Method of
Test for combustibility of Building Materials, National Building Code.
"Occupancy or use"- The principal occupancy or use for which a building or a part of it is used
or intend to be used i.e. contingent/subsidiary occupancies. Mixed occupancy buildings being
those in which more than one occupancy are present in different portions of the buildings.
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"Open space"- An area forming an integral part of a site left open to the sky.
"Owner"- A person, group of persons, a company, trust, institute, registered body, state or
central govt. and its attached sub-ordinate departments, and in whose name is vested the
ownership dominion or title of the property and includes: i)

A receiver, executor or administrator or a manager appointed by any court of

competent jurisdiction to have the charge of or to exercise the rights of the owner

"Parapet"- A low wall or railing built along the edge of a roof or a floor.
"Parking space"- An enclosed or unenclosed covered or open area sufficient in size to park
vehicles. Parking spaces shall be served by a driveway connecting them with a street or alley and
permitting ingress and egress of the vehicles.
"Permanent Open Air Space"- Air space permanently open:
i) If it is a street.
ii) If its freedom from encroachment is protected by any law or contract ensuring that the
ground below it is either a street or is permanently and irrevocably appropriated as an open
space.
"Plinth "- The portion of a structure between the surface of the surrounding ground and surface
of the floor immediately above the ground.
Plinth Area"- The built up covered area measured at the floor level of the basement or of any
story.
"Porch"- A covered surface supported on pillars otherwise for the purpose of a pedestrian or
vehicular approach to a building.
Road/Street Level or Grade The officially established elevation or grade of the centreline
of street upon which a plot fronts, and if there is no officially established grade, the existing
grade of street at its mid-point.

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Road/Street Line The line defining the side limits of a road/street.

Road Width or Width of Road/Street The whole extent of space within the boundaries of a
road when applied to a new road/street as laid down in the city survey or development plan or
prescribed road lines by any act of law and measured at right angles to the course or intended
course of directions of such road.
Row Housing A row of houses with only front, rear and interior open spaces.
Rear Air Plane The plane contained between the ground behind the building and the
straight line drawn downwards and outwards from the line of intersection of the outer surface of
any rear wall of the building with the roof perpendicular to that line and at an angle 63-1/2
degree to the horizontal.
Service Road A road/lane provided at the front, rear or side of a plot for service purpose.
Set-back Line A line usually parallel to the plot boundaries or centre line of a road and laid
down in each case by the Authority or as per recommendations of Master/Zonal Plan, beyond
which nothing can be constructed towards the plot boundaries excepting with the permission of
the Authority.
Settlement- A human settlement, whether urban or rural in character,. It includes habited
villages, towns, townships, cities and the areas notified under the control of the Authority.
"Site with Double Frontage"- A site having frontage on two streets other than corner plot.
Unauthorised Construction-means the erection or re-erection, addition or alternations which
is not approved or sanctioned by the competent Authority.
Zonal Plan- A plan detailing out the proposals of Master Plan and acting as a link between
Master Plan and the layout plan. It may contain a site plan and land use plan with approximate
location and extent of land uses such as public & semi public buildings/works utilities, roads,
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housing, recreation, industry, business, markets, schools, hospitals open spaces etc. It may also
specify standards of population density and various components of development of the zone.

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