Chandigarh – Haryana’s government is preparing to revamp the way land‑use regulations operate across its urban and development zones. The draft proposal flips the conventional model on its head: rather than detailing every permitted activity, it will present a concise list of uses that are expressly forbidden.
Understanding the ‘Negative List’ Approach
Under this system, any activity that does not appear on the prohibition list will be considered permissible, as long as it adheres to existing planning policies, zoning standards, and other legal requirements.
Overhauling the Development‑Plan Structure
The Department of Town and Country Planning plans to discard Appendix‑A from the explanatory notes of current development plans and introduce a new Appendix‑B that codifies the negative‑list methodology.
The objective is to streamline the land‑use matrix, offering clear guidance on what is disallowed in each zone while still obligating developers to comply with all relevant statutes.
Restrictions in Residential Zones
The draft retains strict prohibitions on several high‑impact activities within residential areas, such as:
- Industrial units and large‑scale warehouses
- IT parks, cyber parks and data‑centres
- Logistics parks and wholesale operations
- Transport hubs like bus terminals and transport‑nagar complexes
- Dairy and poultry farms, mining, stone‑crushing and other hazardous enterprises
These bans aim to protect neighbourhoods from heavy traffic, pollution, and industrial risks.
Limits for Commercial Districts
Commercial zones will be subject to a distinct set of prohibitions, including:
- Industrial colonies and expansive logistics parks
- Waste‑water and sewage treatment facilities
- IT parks and data‑centres
- Tanneries, mining activities and dairy‑related operations
The intention is to preserve the commercial character of these areas while keeping incompatible uses at bay.
Rules for Industrial and Transport/Communication Zones
In industrial zones, the proposal bars residential and commercial colonies, educational institutions, as well as any agricultural or dairy enterprises.
Transport and communication zones will similarly exclude residential and commercial colonies, and will also restrict Red‑Category industries and IT parks.
Public‑Utility, Open and Agricultural Areas
Public‑utility zones would prohibit hotels, commercial establishments, schools, industries and warehouses.
Open areas are envisioned for parks, green belts and sports facilities, with all other land‑uses restricted.
Agricultural zones would disallow residential and commercial colonies as well as Red‑Category industrial activities.
Extra Powers for Tailored Restrictions
The draft empowers the department’s director to impose additional prohibitions in the public interest. Conversely, the government retains the discretion to relax any of the listed bans where legislation allows.
Public Consultation Process
The Town and Country Planning Department has opened a 30‑day window for citizens, developers, landowners and other stakeholders to submit objections or suggestions. All feedback will be examined before the final rule‑book receives approval.
If enacted, the Negative List model will shift Haryana’s land‑use paradigm from exhaustive permission lists to a clearer focus on what is expressly disallowed.
