Haryana govt on Tuesday introduced a policy to facilitate organised and secure housing projects for senior citizens in the state.
According to the policy released by additional chief secretary of the town and country planning department (DTCP) Arun Gupta, such housing projects will be allowed only in residential zones and their area can span between 0.5 acre and 10 acres.
The policy for dedicated housing projects was developed in response to a growing trend of smaller family units and an ageing population. It is supposed to benefit those who live alone or in nuclear families.Each project must include a dining hall of at least 100sqm, a medical room and a recreation room of 500sqm. This should include space for a gym, indoor games and community activities.
Among services that will be mandatory are 24-hour ambulance service, physiotherapy and nursing facilities. The project management should have a tie-up with a nearby hospital in case of emergency.
CCTV surveillance and trained security guards are a must. So is power backup for each apartment, and uninterrupted supply for critical zones such as medical room.
Each project site, according to the policy, must be located along a 12-metre road. The permitted maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 225, and ground coverage should not exceed 40%. Up to 4% of the total FAR can be dedicated to shops catering to daily needs.
The policy states that district-level monitoring committees will be established to carry out regular inspections to ensure that standards and amenities are complied with.
An online portal will be set up to allow residents to register complaints and access information, and their grievances must be addressed by the deputy commissioner or municipal commissioner.
A tripartite agreement among residents, developers and service providers is required to clearly outline rights and responsibilities. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, and the Haryana Apartment Act, 1983, will apply to these projects to ensure transparency.
