Minister Rao Narbir Singh proposes removal of height bar for industrial units

Gurgaon: State industry and commerce minister Rao Narbir Singh proposed removing the 15-metre height cap on industrial buildings in Haryana. Proposed under the Industrial Policy 2026, removal of the cap will allow factories and manufacturing units to expand vertically instead of having to look for land for expansion. The change is significant for Gurgaon and Faridabad, where industrial land prices surged sharply, forcing units to restrict operations.Industry and commerce minister Rao Narbir Singh submitted the proposal to chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and said vertical development was necessary to meet Haryana's economic goals by 2047. "The high price of land has emerged as a major challenge for industrial growth; allowing vertical growth helps in the expansion of industrial activities in the region," the minister said.Moreover, the govt has also proposed removing the mandatory requirement of a 30-foot road around industrial buildings. This was intended to allow units to adopt customised safety standards while remaining fully responsible for compliance.These measures, aimed at attracting new investment, will support the expansion of existing units in the state's most valuable industrial belts, the govt said.In Jan, the process to regularise the industries operating outside the designated industrial zones was also started. Industries operating in non-conforming areas have long faced issues related to legal clarity, banking access, and expansion. The new initiative aims to address these concerns and support future growth.Under the scheme, clusters with at least 50 factories spread across a minimum of 10 acres of contiguous land at one location can jointly apply for regularisation. Currently, only factories located within notified industrial zones are legally recognised.According to govt estimates, around 2 lakh factories and manufacturing units operate outside industrial zones in districts including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panipat, Rohtak, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Jhajjar, Bhiwani, Hisar, Karnal, and Panchkula.In Gurgaon, notified industrial zones include IMT Manesar, Udyog Vihar phases 1 to 5, and HSVP industrial sectors. However, several factories operate in areas such as Kadipur, Khandsa, Pataudi, and Behrampur, many linked to the automobile, textile, rubber, and garment sectors.