Gurgaon: In a major shift that is likely to affect upcoming affordable housing projects, Haryana govt has amended its Affordable Housing Policy 2013, making one car parking space mandatory for every unit and revising allotment rates across cities.The amendment, issued by department of town and country planning on April 8, introduces stricter norms to tackle long-standing concerns over inadequate parking in high-density affordable housing colonies. Under the revised clause, developers must now provide one equivalent car space (ECS) per unit. The cost of parking has been fixed at 10% of the flat price. Parking slots must also be clearly marked at the time of building plan approval to ensure greater transparency for buyers. Officials said any parking space beyond the mandatory allocation may be earmarked for visitor parking or two-wheelers, allowing some flexibility in layout planning while preserving minimum standards.The govt has also revised maximum allotment rates under the policy. In Gurgaon, the ceiling has been raised to Rs 5,575 per sq ft on a carpet area basis, along with an additional charge of Rs 1,300 per sq ft for balcony space, capped at Rs 1.3 lakh per flat. Earlier, affordable housing rates in the city were capped at Rs 5,000 per sq ft (carpet area) plus Rs 1,200 per sq ft for balcony areas. In Faridabad and Sohna, the rate has been fixed at Rs 5,450 per sq ft. Other high- and medium-potential towns will have a cap of Rs 5,050 per sq ft, while low-potential towns will have a ceiling of Rs 4,250 per sq ft.The revised rates will apply to all projects where allotments have not yet been made. In cases where applications have already been invited, developers will be permitted to recover the differential amount from successful applicants. Those unwilling to continue at the revised rates will be entitled to a full refund without deductions, and developers must issue public notices.The amendment also addresses ongoing projects that were approved without the mandatory parking provision. In such cases, developers may revise building plans to incorporate the new parking norms, but only after securing consent from at least two-thirds of allottees, as required under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. This provision will not apply to projects where occupation certificates have already been obtained for all residential towers.Cleared by the state cabinet in March, the amendment is expected to shape upcoming affordable housing launches and bring greater uniformity in pricing and infrastructure standards. Industry observers said the move could improve liveability in affordable housing clusters, although the higher rates may slightly increase the entry cost for buyers in cities such as Gurgaon.
