Homeowners to move court against blanket action on 2.5k houses in DLF 3 | Gurgaon News
Gurgaon: More than 2,500 houses, each measuring around 60 square yards, in U block of DLF 3 face penal action like sealing or demolition as the administration examines alleged construction violations. Homeowners, however, are preparing to move court, arguing that the properties cannot be treated uniformly because the nature and extent of violations vary widely.The issue has emerged during an intensified enforcement drive across DLF 3 following court directions. Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has been acting against unauthorised construction, commercial use of residential properties, misuse of stilt parking and encroachments. In June, several properties in the area, including paying guest accommodations, commercial units and unauthorised structures, were sealed or demolished.The action followed a court-ordered survey of properties in DLF colonies. A 2025 order of Punjab and Haryana high court also noted that earlier surveys in DLF 3 had found widespread unauthorised construction, with authorities recording that more than a thousand buildings had unauthorised structures.Residents of U Block fear that the scrutiny could lead to action against a large number of small residential properties. They are preparing to place before the court details showing differences in construction across the block.According to residents, around 104 houses in U block have seven to eight floors or more instead of the allowed stilt-plus-four floors. Of these, around 90 have seven floors. Homeowners contended that such cases of extensive vertical construction should not be used to classify all 60-square-yard houses in the same category.“Why should thousands of houses be put in the same bracket because some properties have seven or eight floors? The extent of construction and the nature of alleged violation are different and should be examined separately,” said Kuldeep Yadav, a resident involved in the discussions.Another homeowner, Avinash Kumar, said residents were not seeking immunity from building rules. “We are not saying violations should be ignored. Our point is that there must be a property-wise assessment. A house with substantially excessive construction cannot be compared with one where the deviation is much smaller,” he said.Through their lawyers, homeowners plan to argue that properties involving serious or large-scale violations should be dealt with separately. They also want the govt to examine whether existing structures can be brought within applicable norms through a practical policy.Resident Ishwar Yadav said several homeowners were willing to cooperate with the authorities. “If the govt gives us a clear and practical policy, people are ready to make changes and comply with the norms. There should be a roadmap for existing houses instead of a blanket action,” he said.He added that some owners were willing to explore whether existing stilt-plus-four or stilt-plus-five structures could be brought within the applicable height limit of around 16.5 metres, subject to the rules governing their properties.Another resident said the govt should consider ground realities before taking coercive action. “These houses are not just buildings. Many families have invested their savings in them. If action is taken across the board, thousands of people will be directly affected,” he said.Residents have also raised concerns over livelihood implications. Many properties in U Block are used partly or primarily for rental accommodation, and rental income is an important source of support for several families.“If a property is sealed or demolished, the impact is not limited to the owner. Tenants lose accommodation and families dependent on rent lose their income. The authorities should therefore distinguish between serious violations and cases that can potentially be rectified,” said another homeowner.Residents said they would submit details on the number of floors, nature of construction and other property-wise differences before the court. They are seeking an individual assessment and a policy-based solution instead of what they describe as a blanket approach to the entire U block.A senior DTCP official said the department was not acting merely on the basis of the number of floors, but on identified violations of sanctioned building plans and applicable norms. “Each property is examined based on its records and the violations found during the survey. Action is being taken in accordance with court directions and due procedure. Property owners are free to approach the competent authority or court with their objections,” he said.The dispute is significant as enforcement action in DLF Phase 3 continues, with the administration indicating that scrutiny of building-plan violations and unauthorised activities will continue.
