Uttar Pradesh's New Building Norms: A Leap Towards Vertical Growth and Affordable Housing
The Uttar Pradesh state cabinet has approved new building bylaws that will enable the construction of taller buildings in major cities like Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Kanpur. These changes aim to boost housing supply, moderate price escalation, and improve affordability.
Vertical GrowthReal EstateUttar PradeshBuilding NormsAffordable HousingReal EstateJul 06, 2025
The revised bylaws relax height and density restrictions and significantly increase the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR), enabling developers to build higher and more densely on available land. According to real estate experts, this is expected to boost housing supply, help moderate price escalation, and gradually improve affordability in these emerging urban markets.
The Uttar Pradesh’s Building Construction and Development Bylaws 2025 will replace 2008 regulations. According to a report published in The Times of India, the new bylaws will significantly enhance the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR), providing a major boost to group housing projects. Previously, developers were constrained by a maximum FAR of 2.5 in newly developing areas and 1.5 in already developed zones, along with a 35% cap on ground coverage and a density limit of 1,000 persons per hectare.
The revised norms aim to make taller buildings financially viable by allowing developers to use up to 5% of the availed FAR for commercial facilities. These can either be located on the ground floor of residential towers or in separate buildings with independent access. An additional 5% FAR can be used for essential services such as lift machine rooms and community centres.
Earlier, a minimum plot size of 2,000 sq m and stringent setback requirements discouraged vertical construction. Under the new rules, the minimum plot size has been reduced to 1,000 sq m in built-up areas and 1,500 sq m in non-built-up zones, effectively removing key barriers to high-rise development, the report noted.
For group housing projects located along roads 24 to 45 metres wide, the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has been more than doubled, rising to 5.25 in built-up areas and 8.75 in non-built-up areas. On roads wider than 45 metres, there will be no FAR restrictions, unless the site is near airports or other critical installations, The Times of India reported.
To ensure future readiness, the bylaws make it mandatory for all group housing societies to include electric vehicle infrastructure, with at least 20% of parking spaces equipped with EV charging facilities. The rules also promote sustainable development by incorporating green building incentives and mandating open spaces. Plots larger than 3,000 sq m must allocate 10% of the area for parks and open spaces if covered by a zonal development plan, and 15% if not, the report added.
Under the new bylaws, individual homes can now be constructed up to three storeys or 15 metres in height, with a maximum FAR of 2.25 for smaller plots and 2.5 for larger ones, The Times of India reported. For multi-unit buildings, the rules permit construction of up to four storeys, including a stilt floor, on plots measuring at least 150 sq m.
To streamline approvals and minimise delays, the bylaws mandate that departments such as the NHAI, fire services, railways, and PWD must issue no-objection certificates within a defined timeframe. Additionally, if construction does not begin before the building permit expires, a fresh approval will be required, the report said.
The new bylaws will boost vertical development in these cities by relaxing height and density restrictions and increasing permissible FAR. This will let developers provide more housing supply, potentially help moderate price growth, and eventually make properties more affordable. Higher competition and streamlined approvals will also help rationalise prices, but much will depend on demand absorption and local market dynamics, Santhosh Kumar, vice chairman, Anarock Group, told HT.com.
Asked if these changes were prompted by the availability of more land following major infrastructure developments, such as new metro lines, the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) corridor, and the implementation of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) norms along these transit routes, he said they were more or less directly driven by major infrastructure developments and the adoption of TOD norms. They aim to unlock higher density, mixed-use development within 1.5 km of transit routes, leveraging better connectivity and newly freed-up land to encourage vertical growth and create walkable urban clusters, he said.
While higher permissible construction could risk oversupply, current trends in Uttar Pradesh’s urban centres show strong housing demand and declining unsold inventory. This suggests that, unlike Noida and Gurugram, a significant inventory glut is unlikely in the near term, he added.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new building bylaws approved by the Uttar Pradesh state cabinet?
The new building bylaws approved by the Uttar Pradesh state cabinet relax height and density restrictions and significantly increase the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR), enabling developers to build taller and more densely on available land.
How will these new bylaws affect housing supply and property prices?
The new bylaws are expected to boost housing supply, help moderate price escalation, and improve affordability in major cities like Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Kanpur.
What is the new permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for group housing projects?
For group housing projects located along roads 24 to 45 metres wide, the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has been more than doubled, rising to 5.25 in built-up areas and 8.75 in non-built-up areas.
What are the green building incentives included in the new bylaws?
The new bylaws promote sustainable development by incorporating green building incentives and mandating open spaces. Plots larger than 3,000 sq m must allocate 10% of the area for parks and open spaces if covered by a zonal development plan, and 15% if not.
How will the new norms affect the approval process for construction projects?
To streamline approvals and minimise delays, the bylaws mandate that departments such as the NHAI, fire services, railways, and PWD must issue no-objection certificates within a defined timeframe. If construction does not begin before the building permit expires, a fresh approval will be required.
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