Go by rules, Derabassi realtors told

CHANDIGARH: In an important order with wide ramifications for a host of mega housing and other ongoing projects in Derabassi, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered that only those constructions, housing colonies or otherwise, should be allowed that have adhered to the minimum prescribed road width of 60 feet.
It means that various mega projects, including housing, in the town would come to an immediate halt if they don���t comply with the stipulated condition of 60-ft road width between opposite buildings.The order came in the wake of a plea by a Derabassi-based industrial house that sought directions to various official respondents and Raglan Infrastructure to implement the guidelines and policy on Free Enterprise Zone (FEZ) prescribed by state government.
The petitioner-company also sought directions to secretary, industries and commerce, PUDA, secretary, local government, and chief town planner, Punjab, to carry out implementation of the said FEZ policy. The state government���s September 2004 guidelines stated that ���standard road cross-section approved by Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) for a colony with an area more than 10 acres but up to 50 acres is 60 feet.
However, according to the building plan for a group housing society by Raglan Infrastructure (respondent-6), the municipal corporation, Derabassi, had stipulated a road width of 24 feet only, which didn���t find favour with the high court.
The petitioner-company pleaded that the Punjab government had notified FEZ area for industries in January 1990 and issued guidelines in 1991 that ���no road within the FEZ should have an ultimate width of less than 20 m and boundary walls of various constructions are to be set back on either side of the road to achieve the width���.
The PUDA granted approval to the petitioner-company on January 16, 1997, stipulating that the boundary wall and proposed unit of the company���s factory would be constructed so as to leave sufficient space for a 60-ft wide road in front of the factory gate. However in 2006, respondent Raglan Infrastructure, according to the petitioner-company, started construction of residential Gulmohar City close to the factory premises of the petitioner-company which reduced the width of the road between two buildings to 15 feet only.
���In fact, one housing complex is located right upon the boundary wall leaving no scope for width of the road to be increased,��� the petitioner company pleaded. The chief town planner (CTP), Punjab, too, had stated in its report that as per ���spot zoning, the area falls under FEZ zone and thus was bound to meet the government guidelines.���