Lucknow’s urban habitat is set for a radical transformation as Uttar Pradesh unveils its new Building Construction and Development Bylaws‑2025, offering up to four‑fold additional floor space for plots on wide roads. Alongside easing height restrictions, the reforms aim to catalyse eco‑friendly, gender‑neutral, and equitable cityscapes. Overriding 21 previous rules, they signal a shift towards sustainable vertical growth in Lucknow and other key cities, promising smarter, greener development.
Uttar Pradesh’s cabinet has formally approved the Building Construction and Development Bylaws‑2025, marking a decisive shift in the state’s urban development policy. These regulations consolidate amendments introduced since 2008 and shall supersede 21 earlier rule sets, aiming to facilitate a modern, streamlined construction environment. A cornerstone of the new bylaws is the expansion of Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Under the draft, buildings along roads at least 45 metres wide will enjoy unrestricted FAR, permitting developers to construct upwards without limitations, except in sensitive zones like airports, heritage sites or security areas. This move is expected to unlock vertical development potential on urban plots along major infrastructure corridors like the Ring Road and national highways.
At the same time, plot owners gain greater autonomy over smaller parcels. Residences on plots up to 1,000 sq ft and commercial spaces up to 300 sq ft can now commence construction with only online registration, foregoing formal map approvals. Larger plots—residential up to 5,000 sq ft and commercial up to 2,000 sq ft—now require merely an architect’s certificate. To further enhance efficiency, a trust‑based online NOC system has been introduced: if no objections are received within a stipulated period, approvals are deemed granted—significantly reducing red tape. The bylaws also introduce the ‘Bazaar Streets’ concept, promoting mixed‑use neighbourhoods. Commercial activity is now permissible on ground and first floors on streets 6–12 metres wide, depending on location, with no blanket height limits except where mandated. Transit‑Oriented Development (TOD) zones near RRTS stations, particularly in Ghaziabad, may also benefit from these relaxed FAR norms.
Green building incentives form an essential part of the policy. Projects certified as sustainable may receive further FAR benefits at no extra cost, aligning with urban decarbonisation targets . Planners have also reduced setback requirements for taller buildings, enhancing land efficiency while safeguarding access and ventilation. The development process has been made more democratic: the draft attracted 1,153 public suggestions, now under review, ahead of its final cabinet approval. Real estate stakeholders have welcomed the bylaws as a stimulus for investment and urban rejuvenation. Industry voices highlight that the transparent fee structure for purchasable FAR—determined through formulae based on current land rates—is also expected to reduce uncertainties in project planning.
For city-dwellers, the reforms promise multiple public benefits: affordable housing through densification, reduced construction delays, mixed-use neighbourhoods close to transit, and incentives for green buildings—all designed to foster equitable, gender-inclusive and environmentally sustainable developments. These also embed social infrastructure priorities like slum rehabilitation and affordable housing mandates . However, urban planners warn that without adequate civic investment—in roads, water supply, sewage, power and mass transit—the additional density may place new strains on infrastructure. Lessons from other cities show that “vertical growth only works if infrastructure keeps pace”, as one urbanist cautions . Ultimately, the UP’s bylaws set the stage for reimagining urban skylines—from Lucknow to Kanpur and Varanasi. Yet the transition to sustainable, equitable vertical cities hinges on balancing ambitious deregulation with firm commitments to infrastructure, green standards and inclusive planning.
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