Like Mumbai,Delhi’s new houses to stand on stilts

“Fights for parking space and road rage will hopefully come to an end,” says Manish Uppal of Uppal Constructions,which has built over 20 such residential apartments in areas like Vasant Vihar and Panchsheel last year.

According to the law,for every 100 sq m of sanctioned FAR (Floor Area Ratio),one has to provide parking for one car. For example,on a plot of 600 sq yards if there is 12,000 ft of sanctioned covered space,one requires 12 car parks.

According to architects,apartments on stilts are perfectly safe. There are some currently under construction on Hanuman Road as well,and across Delhi,except Lutyen’s zone where it’s not allowed.

Aesthetically,it is questionable how this will turn out,but most architects and builders agree that addressing the city’s parking woes is of primary importance. “Earlier,clients were hesitant about apartments with stilts because it ends up looking like a society rather than a bungalow,” says Shammi Thapar of Thapar Homes Limited,which has redeveloped 15 plots in South Delhi on stilts over the last one year.

Currently,there is no difference in the price of apartments with stilts or without,but builders feel that this will change. “Slowly,clients are understanding that it is safer to have your car in your plot and have a little extra assured parking when you have a party,” adds Uppal. The inevitable fallout,however,is that the garden space has become smaller and common,and the entrance is through a car park,with a short walk to the steps or the lift.

“The colonial style of the living room opening into a garden is over. Ideally,every plot should have 2-3 levels of basement parking,so you can have some green space on the ground level and keep the bungalow intact,” says Gautam Bhatia,a Delhi architect.

Thapar rues the fact that the rules do not allow buildings to go higher than 15 metres and he loses 8 feet at the stilt level. “I have had to compromise on the height of the ceiling from 11 feet to 9ft,5 inches. The height gave it a palatial feel,” says Thapar. Stilts also reduce the premium that ground floors in Delhi command,since the lawn area is common to all residents.