Chandigarh – Haryana’s Town and Country Planning Department is gearing up to overhaul the way land‑use permissions are handled across the state’s urban and development zones. Rather than detailing every permissible activity, the draft proposal flips the approach: it will publish a list of uses that are expressly banned.

Understanding the ‘Negative List’ Approach

Under this framework, any land‑use not mentioned on the restriction list is automatically considered permissible, as long as it conforms to existing planning policies, zoning regulations, and other statutory requirements.

Updating the Development‑Plan Structure

The department plans to retire Appendix‑A from the explanatory notes of current development plans and replace it with a brand‑new Appendix‑B that codifies the negative‑list system. The objective is to streamline the land‑use matrix, offering clear guidance on what is disallowed in each zone while still obliging developers to adhere to all relevant rules.

Restrictions in Residential Zones

The draft keeps a tight grip on several high‑impact activities within residential areas, such as:

  • Industrial units and large‑scale warehousing
  • IT parks, cyber parks and data‑centres
  • Logistics hubs and wholesale operations
  • Transport terminals, bus depots and transport‑nagar complexes
  • Dairy and poultry farms, mining, stone‑crushing, and other hazardous enterprises

These bans aim to protect neighbourhoods from heavy traffic, pollution and industrial hazards.

Limits for Commercial Districts

Commercial zones will be subject to a distinct set of prohibitions, including:

  • Industrial colonies and expansive logistics parks
  • Waste‑water and sewage‑treatment facilities
  • IT parks and data‑centres
  • Tanneries, mining operations and dairy‑related activities

The intention is to preserve the commercial character of these areas while keeping incompatible uses at bay.

Industrial and Transport/Communication Zones

In designated industrial zones, the proposal bars residential and commercial colonies, educational institutions, as well as any agricultural or dairy ventures.

Transport and communication zones will similarly exclude residential and commercial colonies, and will also restrict Red‑Category industries and IT parks.

Public‑Utility, Open‑Space and Agricultural Areas

Public‑utility zones would prohibit hotels, commercial establishments, schools, factories and warehouses.

Open spaces are envisioned for parks, green belts and sports facilities, with other land‑uses restricted.

Agricultural zones would disallow residential and commercial colonies as well as Red‑Category industrial activities.

Special Powers for Additional Restrictions

The draft empowers the department’s director to impose extra prohibitions in the public interest. Conversely, the government retains the authority to relax any of the listed restrictions where law permits.

Public Consultation Process

The Town and Country Planning Department has opened a 30‑day period for citizens, developers, landowners and other stakeholders to lodge objections or suggestions. All feedback will be examined before the final rule‑book is ratified.

If approved, the Negative List model will shift Haryana’s land‑use paradigm from exhaustive permission lists to a clearer focus on what is expressly disallowed.