CHANDIGARH: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Haryana Government has landed itself into a catch-22 situation during the ongoing assembly elections as it has given go-ahead with stilt-plus-four construction in the residential areas of the state. Several Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) are opposing this decision of the government and have decided to oppose the BJP candidates across the state.
The RWAs have written to the Election Commission of Indian to suspend the government order which gave the go-ahead to the stilt-plus-four construction in the state.
On the other hand, the opposition parties have got another issue against the government on the platter which they are now raising for their political benefits. This might affect the saffron party in the National Capital Region (NCR) especially Gurugram and Faridabad.
Targeting the incumbent BJP government for allowing builders to exploit the stilt-plus-four-floor housing policy, RWAs have threatened to vote against the BJP candidates.
The residents are of the view that the stilt-plus-four houses in their residential areas are being misused to create multiple apartments, thus burdening the existing civic infrastructure.
The letter to the ECI stated that the notification regarding the construction will not only come in the way of a level playing field during elections and smacked of the government’s “vested interests”.
Yashvir Malik, convener of Haryana State HUDA Sector Confederation of which 287 RWAs of the state are members, said, "by allowing construction stilt-plus-four construction the BJP-led Government is trying to please the builder lobby. The RWAs will oppose the candidates of the BJP across the state and request not to vote for them."
Malik added that while this decision affects the whole state, ten districts including Gurugram, Faridabad, Rewari, Panipat, Sonepat, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Panchkula, Hisar and Amabla are most affected. He also said that approximately 7.25 lakh plots or house owners are affected by this decision of the government in these cities as it calculated around 25 lakh voters in 15 to 20 assembly segments.
"We have sent an e-mail to the EC, stating that the removal of embargo on the construction of S+4 floors in residential areas be put on hold. This notification is beyond the powers of the current caretaker government in the state and is clearly a big allurement for voters. The policy needs to be properly reviewed,’’ he said.
State President All Sector Residents Welfare Association, Kuldeep Vats said that re-implementing the policy of constructing four-storey buildings with stilt parking in HSVP sectors without developing infrastructure facilities is completely wrong.
"The association will strongly oppose this. This will strain our sewage, power, water and parking infrastructure and leave us in a mess especially in old sectors. At present, the drinking water and sewerage system in the sectors is completely in shambles. This problem is especially severe in the old sectors. Even after many years of sector demarcation by HSVP, the old and dilapidated drinking water and sewerage lines have not been upgraded according to the population density,’’ he said.
He added that, with this decision, the residents of the sector will have to face a lot of trouble for basic facilities.
Vats said that it is completely wrong to construct a stilt plus four storey building on a 10 meter road. The rule made on the common wall in the new policy will increase disputes among the people.
"Our demand is that, in view of the problems of public interest, this decision should be withdrawn. If the matter is not resolved soon, then the next strategy of the movement will be prepared by calling a state level meeting of the association,’’ he said.
Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that this is care-taker government and this decision cannot be taken, it is completely wrong.
Echoing the same view former deputy chief minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said that when his party was part of the government it did not approve of this and to allow S plus 4 in existing sectors is wrong. "We will write to ECI,’’ he said.
Sources said that the construction had been allowed in a policy that was already there and this is not a new decision and it does not violate the poll code.
"We only told the court that we are lifting the self-imposed ban,” said an officer.
It is learnt that some 200 applications are pending in Gurugram alone, seeking permission to build the floors. The stilt-plus-four-floors policy was initially brought by the state government in 2017 by amending the Haryana Building Code of the same year, and registrations of the fourth floor as a separate dwelling unit started by 2018.
Under the new policy, the state has allowed the construction of four floors with stilts in sectors where the layout plan allows for the building of four dwelling units per plot.
