Uttar Pradesh Government Unveils Draft Unified Building Code for Industrial Development Authorities
The Uttar Pradesh government has taken a significant step toward streamlining construction norms by publishing a draft unified building code that promises to reshape how projects are developed across Noida, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway, and other industrial development authority areas. This comprehensive framework seeks to replace the existing patchwork of separate rules for each authority with a single, cohesive set of regulations.
Key Provisions of the Draft Unified Building Regulations
The draft Unified Building Regulations for Industrial Development Authorities, which has been uploaded to the Nivesh Mitra portal for public feedback, introduces several transformative changes. Most notably, it plans to raise floor area ratio (FAR) limits across various categories, link higher FAR to the width of the road adjacent to a plot, reduce setback requirements, and remove height restrictions except where aviation safety or heritage conservation norms apply.
Officials have confirmed that the regulations will apply to Noida, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway, UPSIDA, UPEIDA, and any future industrial development authorities established in the state. A Noida Authority official stated that objections and suggestions can be submitted over the next 15 days, either in person at the authority office between 10 am and 5 pm or via mail.
Major Shift in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Regulations
The most substantial change proposed in the draft is the overhaul of FAR, which determines the permissible built-up area on a plot. Previously, authorities had different caps and exercised discretion over FAR, setbacks, ground coverage, and height. For instance, industrial plots typically allowed FAR ranging from 0.6 to 2, group housing from 2.75 to 3.5, institutional projects from 0.8 to 2.75, and commercial projects from 1.2 to 4.
Under the new draft, FAR is not only increased but also directly tied to road width. For industrial plots on roads measuring 12m to 24m, the base FAR will be 3, with the potential to rise to 6. On roads between 24m and 45m, the base remains 3, but the maximum can reach 10.5. For roads 45m and wider, the base FAR stays at 3, with no upper limit imposed. In group housing, the base FAR is proposed at 3.5, with opportunities to increase it to 7, 10.5, or more based on road width.
PPS Nagar, a lawyer specializing in land deeds, explained the rationale behind this linkage. "Plots with higher FAR will accommodate greater density and therefore require broader roads. Dense populations cannot be efficiently served by narrow roads. The relationship is directly proportional," he noted.
Reduction in Setback Requirements and New Open-Space Norms
The draft also proposes a reduction in setback requirements, which will free up more usable land within plots. Earlier norms effectively limited ground coverage, with setbacks extending up to 16 meters in front and 12 meters each at the rear and sides. In group housing, ground coverage was typically around 35% to 40%, while in industrial areas it ranged from 35% to 60%.
The new proposal mandates setbacks of 9 meters in front and 6 meters on the other three sides. Setback refers to the minimum open space that must be maintained between a building and the plot boundary.
Additionally, the draft introduces open-space norms for larger layouts. Projects exceeding 3,000 square meters must allocate land for parks—15% of the total area in residential layouts and 10% in non-residential ones. Layouts below 3,000 square meters will not be required to provide dedicated park space.
Industry Reactions and Future Implications
Shailendra Bhatia, additional CEO at Yamuna Expressway Authority, confirmed that the draft has been shared with all relevant authorities as well as the public. "Once objections and suggestions are received, the draft regulations will be finalized and brought into effect," he added.
Dinesh Gupta, president of Credai West UP, welcomed the move as a positive development. "Noida and Greater Noida had rigid FAR rules, while some other agencies such as Awas Vikas had already revised norms to allow more FAR. This will encourage development to grow vertically rather than horizontally," he said. Gupta further emphasized that the reduction in setbacks reflects the reality of limited land availability in urban areas.
This draft unified building code represents a pivotal shift toward more standardized and flexible construction regulations in Uttar Pradesh's key industrial zones, potentially fostering denser and more efficient urban development.
