Noida Authority's amended 'by-laws' routes for Taller Buildings in the city

The officials of Noida Authority declared that they have decided to amend the building by-laws eyeing on to increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for various plot categories including institutional, industrial, mixed land-use, and integrated township projects.

The change will be reflected as the part of the Noida Master Plan-2031,to increase the revenue and accommodate the highly growing urban population by allowing for vertical growth across the city.

If the plan is approved by the Authority, it will enable the plot owners  and realty developers to build more floors, creating additional built-up space to meet urban development demands.  

The CEO of the Noida Authority, Lokesh M mentioned, “The proposed changes in building by-laws, which were initiated long back, will increase population density and impact aspects such as traffic and infrastructure. The final decision will depend on public support.”

The authority is asking the objections and suggestions from the common public about the recent amendment decision. The feedback is open for 15 days. Lokesh M mentioned that, if most of the people oppose the changes, the decision will be reconsidered.

He also added that, “We will share citizens’ feedback with the state government, which will make the final call.”

The floor area ratio (FAR) is referred to as the proportion which can be obtained by dividing the total covered area (plinth area) on all floors by the area of the plot. FAR of a plot defines how many floors an owner can add (vertical expansion) and how much of the plot area can be covered with construction (horizontal expansion). The change in the law has come up with various amendments including increasing the FAR for plots designated for residential, industrial, and commercial use.

For industrial plots of 25 acres or more, mixed-use development will be allowed, provided that industrial activity constitutes at least 75% of the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

The amendments also permit up to 12% of the permissible FAR for dormitories (group housing) and field hostels, 8% for commercial use, and 5% for facility purposes—uses that were previously not allowed.

Under the new by-laws, a plot of 1,800 square meters (sqm) or larger, situated on a road at least 24 meters wide, can have a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 3.5. This allows for the construction of six floors with a total area of 3,500 square feet. The Master Plan 2031 designates 2,806 hectares for industrial development, though only 1,500 hectares have been developed to date.

According to the official record of Noida’s land use, 18.37% for industrial areas, 37.45 hectares for residential, and 15.92 hectares for recreational (green) spaces, with the remainder designated for commercial, institutional, water bodies, and agricultural activities.

Officials stated that under previous Master Plans, housing facilities and commercial services were not permitted. In May 2020, the Noida Authority proposed amending the Building By-Laws of 2010 based on directives from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government. The aim was to introduce changes to create more space in the city to meet increasing urban demands.