State government approves construction of tall buildings in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar; experts say planning and execution of public infrastructure must before allowing vertical edifices
The Gujarat government has decided to approve the construction of buildings of 70 floors or more in five cities including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, and Gandhinagar.
Present rules allow for the construction of 23 floors for tall buildings.
The state government has decided to amend the Common GDCR (general development control regulations) to allow construction of high-rise structures of 70 or more floors in, an official release said.
The new rules regarding tall buildings approved by the government will be applicable to structures that are over 100 metres in height. A special technical committee will be set up to give approval to such projects, the release said.
The decision will demonstrate the state’s mettle in terms of its infrastructure capacity. With the construction of the skyscrapers, the state’s urban infrastructure will be able to accommodate the rising population and generate more employment for the dwellers, a government statement said.
This decision aims to put Gujarat on the global map along with UAE and Singapore, countries that are known for skyscrapers.
These buildings can be used for residential, commercial, and recreational purposes or a combination of the same.
Gujarat’s tallest buildings are currently located in GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
The plot size to construct a skyscraper having a height between 100 to 150 metres must be 2,500 sqm, and 3,500 sqm if the proposed height is above 150 metres.
Under the new rules, a disaster management plan has been made mandatory. This also includes a wind tunnel test of the model structure and an electric charging facility in the parking zone of these buildings.
The chief minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani has said that the new rules will ensure optimum utilisation of land and eventually help lower property prices.
Credai-National welcomed the decision. “Gujarat has witnessed close to 50 percent urban growth. The population of Ahmedabad is around 8 million and the other four cities it is around 4 million. Migration is on the rise and land prices have been increasing. Gujarat has all along been deprived of a skyline like other big cities. This move will reduce pressure on land and ensure efficient use of resources,” said Jaxay Shah, chairman, Credai National, and managing director of Savvy Group.
Real estate consultants, however, said that the cost of high rises is steep and locations where real estate values are not high, the cost of construction itself may render the concept unfeasible.
They cautioned that the five cities of Gujarat need to be careful before indulging in the rate race to go higher and engage in proper town- planning prior to sanctioning high-rise projects to ensure that they don’t meet the same fate as Mumbai.
“Skyscrapers are considered to be a sign of prosperity and hence many communities put up high rises as landmarks for their cities. However, high rises come at a steep cost, and locations where real estate values are not high enough the cost of construction itself may render the concept unfeasible,” said Gulam Zia Executive Director - Valuation & Advisory Retail & Hospitality Knight Frank India.
There are cities or localities that are landlocked and have no other alternative but to go vertical.
Finally, vertical development also puts immense pressure on the physical infrastructure of the locality which includes roads, transportation, water supply, waste disposal, he said.
A city needs to first plan and execute the public infrastructure before allowing vertical edifices. Mumbai is a case in point where such high rises were created before putting up the right infrastructure which has created unprecedented pressure on infrastructure including roads, drainage systems. The five cities of Gujarat, therefore, need to be cautious before indulging in the rate race to go higher and engage in proper town- planning prior to sanctioning high – rise projects, Zia added.