The fire at Gaur Green Avenue on Wednesday has served as a crucial alert for residents of high-rise gated communities and authorities throughout the NCR.
On Friday, the Ghaziabad Development Authority approved a budget of Rs 100 crore to acquire two hydraulic platforms that can reach heights of 102 metres — equivalent to 35 floors — in contrast to the current platform, which is limited to 42 metres, or 14 storeys. “We have opted to circumvent the protracted process of obtaining board approval and have decided to promptly procure the two platforms,” stated an official from the Authority.
The Authority had previously acquired a hydraulic platform capable of reaching only 42 metres in 2017 for Rs 4 crore. Nevertheless, the firefighting capabilities have not kept pace with the swift expansion of high-rises in the city. Currently, the city boasts over 400 high-rise apartments and buildings, particularly concentrated in regions such as Indirapuram, Crossings Republik, Raj Nagar Extension, and Sidharth Vihar. This number is anticipated to increase significantly in the forthcoming years.
Under the recently ratified UP Building By-laws 2025, height limitations on buildings have been lifted, facilitating vertical development based on permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Previously, the maximum building height for various occupancy types under plotted development, for all single- or multi-unit buildings with a plot size of less than 300 square metres, was restricted to three floors with stilts up to 15 metres.
For plots measuring 300 square metres and above, four storeys with stilts up to a height of 17.5 metres were permitted. However, height restrictions for group housing, shops, commercial units and complexes, malls, hotels, single-screen cinemas, miniplexes, and multiplex commercial complexes have been eliminated.
A multi-storeyed building, or high-rise building, is defined as a structure that exceeds four storeys or surpasses 15 metres in height without stilt and 17.5 metres with stilt.
