Noida residents oppose proposed FAR increase in housing projects
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Noida residents oppose proposed FAR increase in housing projects

CONRWA has deemed the move unfair to Noida residents and has written to the Noida Authority CEO delineating its objections to the move.

Noida residents oppose proposed FAR increase in housing projects

Residents of Noida are up in arms against Noida Authority’s proposal to increase the floor area ratio (FAR) for group-housing projects. They argue that an increase in FAR would disrupt the master plans 2021 and 2031, in which the basic amenities for residential and commercial areas were already fixed.

The Confederation of NCR Residents Welfare Associations (CONRWA) has deemed the move unfair to people residing in the city.

Opposing the proposal to increase FAR, CONRWA has written to Deepak Agrawal, chief executive officer of Noida Authority, and registered its objections against the move. The letter says that once a housing-project layout has been approved, it should only be amended to accommodate changes that are in public interest.

The letter listed the following reasons against an increase in FAR:

1. Potential danger due to extra floors

If changes are made in approved housing projects, it will allow builders to construct extra floors, causing an overload on the building foundation. As the building's base will be carrying more load than it is designed to, it will compromise the structural stability of the building and be dangerous for residents. 

2. Less space for parks and recreational activities

“Builders often construct new buildings on areas earmarked for recreational purposes or parks in the approved layout," said PS Jain, president of CONRWA. "In a way, a homebuyer is cheated by the builder. Say he buys a house thinking he has a park-facing flat, but upon moving in, all he finds is a tower as view."

3. Facilities shared by more residents than designed for

"Extra towers constructed by the builder will only overpopulate the society and put stress on its facilities. Flats won't get enough sun either. An increase in FAR is a terrible move for residents," said Jain. 

4. Traffic congestion

"Roads are another problem," said Jain. "The Authority estimated a certain number of residents commuting on the roads while preparing the master plan. If that number goes up, the roads will be used by more commuters than they are designed to handle." 

5. Insufficient car parking 

Jain also said societies will be short of car-parking space if FAR is increased. It again leads to traffic congestion in the areas. "The Authority, instead of increasing FAR, should make it mandatory for societies to accommodate a parking lot for visitors inside the premises," said Jain.

6. Fire safety

Jain said the city had a shortage of firefighting equipment for the higher floors of a multistorey building. If the builders were allowed to increase the height even further, there would be no means of rescuing them in case of a fire.

Jain urged the Authority to consider these issues and not go ahead with the proposal to increase FAR.