(Clause 14) · NBC 2016 (SP 7:2016) Volume 1

Special Requirements for Low Income Housing in Urban Areas

C-1 General

These guidelines cover the planning and general building requirements of low income housing in urban areas, for houses having a maximum plinth area of $40 \, m^{2}$ including future expansion. The requirement regarding layout planning of low income housing colonies are applicable to public and private agencies/government bodies. The requirements on design and construction of buildings for low income housing in approved layouts are applicable to all private and public agencies.

C-2 Planning

C-2.1 Type of Development

The type of development for low income housing shall be plotted developments as row housing/flatted development as row housing or group housing on cluster pattern (see Annex D).

C-2.2 Layout Pattern

C-2.2.1 In the land to be developed, at least 75 percent of the plots may be of the size less than or up to $60\mathrm{m}^2$

per dwelling unit in metropolitan towns and $100 \, m^{2}$ in other towns and hill areas. Remaining 25 percent of the plots may be more than $60 \, m^{2}$ , however, no plot shall be more than . In case of group housing or flatted development at least 75 percent units should have a plinth area (excluding external circulation such as stairs, lifts, lobbies, etc) up to or not exceeding including future expansion.

C-2.3.1 Plot Size

The minimum plot size with ground coverage not exceeding 75 percent, shall not be less than $40\mathrm{m}^2$ in small and medium town and not less than $30\mathrm{m}^2$ in metropolitan cities. Plot sizes below $30\mathrm{m}^2$ but not less than $15\mathrm{m}^2$ may be permitted in case of cluster planning, however, in such cases the ground coverage and FAR shall be 100 percent and 2, respectively (see also Annex D for special requirements for cluster planning for housing).

C-2.3.2 Minimum Frontage

The minimum frontage of the plot shall be $3.6\mathrm{m}$ in width.

C-2.4 Density

C-2.4.1 The density norms for plotted development and mixed development shall be as follows:

Sl No.(1)	Type of Development(2)	Range of Densities (Gross)(3)
i)	Plotted development	65-120 plots per hectare
ii)	Mixed development :a) Small townsb) Citiesc) Metropolitan cities	75-100 dwelling units per hectare100-125 dwelling units per hectare125-150 dwelling units per hectare

C-2.4.2 In case of developments with per dwelling unit covered area of $15 \, m^{2}$ , four storeyed walk ups without future incremental growth with maximum densities of 500 dwelling units per hectare shall be permissible. In case of four storeyed walk ups, having two roomed dwelling unit where one room is for future expansion, maximum density of 400 dwelling units per hectare shall be permissible.

C-2.5 Height of Building

The height of building shall not exceed $15\mathrm{m}$ .

NOTES

1 For buildings up to the height of $15\mathrm{m}$ , there is no need to provide lifts.

2 Housing for the low-income group shall preferably be up to a maximum of two storeys.

3 Buildings for housing beyond 15 m in height should be resorted to in exceptional circumstances and it should be governed by provisions laid down in this Code.

C-2.6 Cluster Planning

For size of open cluster and open space, set backs, vehicular access and pedestrian paths in cluster

PART 3 DEVELOPMENT CONTROL RULES AND GENERAL BUILDING REQUIREMENTS

planning, the provisions given in Annex D shall apply.

C-3 General Building Requirements

C-3.1 General

The requirements of parts of buildings shall be as given in C-3.2 to C-3.9.

C-3.2 Plinth

The minimum height of plinth shall be regulated on the basis of environmental and topographical condition and higher plinth height may be required in areas prone to flooding.

C-3.3 Size of Room

C-3.3.1 Habitable Room

Every dwelling unit to be provided should have at least two habitable rooms. Even if one room house is provided initially it should be capable of adding a new second room in future. However, in case single room tenements are required to be provided where future additions are not possible, the carpet area of multipurpose single room should be at least $12.5 \, m^{2}$ . Such one room dwelling units with $12.5 \, m^{2}$ carpet area of habitable space is permitted only in case of on-site rehabilitation of slum dwellers. In a house of two rooms, first room shall not be less than $9.0 \, m^{2}$ with minimum width of 2.5 m and second room shall not be less than with a minimum width of 2.1 m provided the total area of both the rooms is not less than . In incremental housing the bigger room shall always be the first room.

C-3.3.2 Water-Closet/Bath Room

a) The size of independent water-closet shall

be $0.90\mathrm{m}^2$ with minimum width of $0.9\mathrm{m}$ ;

b) The size of independent bath room shall be $1.20 \, m^{2}$ with a minimum width of $1.0 \, m$ ; and

c) The size of combined bath room and water-closet shall be with minimum width of .

C-3.3.3 Kitchen

The size of a cooking alcove serving as cooking space shall not be less than $2.4 \, m^{2}$ with a minimum width of $1.2 \, m$ . The size of individual kitchen provided in a two-roomed house shall not be less than $3.3 \, m^{2}$ with a minimum width of $1.5 \, m$ .

C-3.3.4 Balcony

The minimum width of individual balcony, where provided, shall be 0.9 m and shall not be more than 1.2 m and it shall not project beyond the plot line and on roads or pathway.

C-3.4 Basement

No basement floor shall be allowed.

C-3.5 Minimum Height

The minimum height of rooms/spaces shall be as follows:

a) Habitable room : 2.6 m

b) Kitchen : 2.6 m

c) Bath/water-closet : 2.1 m

d) Corridor : 2.1 m

C-3.5.1 In the case of sloping roofs, the average height of roof for habitable rooms shall be 2.6 m and the minimum height at eaves shall be 2.0 m.

C-3.6 Lighting and Ventilation

The openings through windows, ventilators and other openings for lighting and ventilation shall be in accordance with 20.1.2.

NOTE — The windows and other openings shall abut onto open spaces either through areas left open within the plot or the front, side and rear spaces provided in the layouts which shall be deemed to be sufficient for light and ventilation purposes. Wherever, ventilation/lighting is provided by means of Jali or grill of any material, total area of openings shall be calculated excluding solid portion of the Jali or grill.

C-3.7 Stairs

The following criteria shall be adopted for internal individual staircase:

a) Minimum clear width:

2 storeyed — straight : 0.60 m
2 storeyed — winding : 0.75 m
3 or more storeyed — straight : 0.75 m
3 or more storeyed — winding : 0.90 m

b) Riser : 200 mm, Max

2 storeyed : 225 mm, Min (see Note)
3 storeyed or more : 250 mm, Min NOTE — This could be reduced to 200 mm as the clear tread between perpends, with possibility of open riser as well as nosing and inclined riser to have an effective tread of 225 mm.

d) Head room — The minimum clear head room shall be 2.1 m.

C-3.8 Circulation Area

The circulation area on any floor including staircase, shall not exceed $8\mathrm{m}^2/$ dwelling unit.

C-3.9 Water Seal Latrine

No building plan shall be approved and no building shall be deemed to have been completed and fit for human occupation unless provision is made for water seal latrine. No dry latrine shall be allowed. Water seal latrines may also be provided on the basis of community toilets or shared toilets as per the recommendation given in good practice [3(9)].

Where leaching pits are used, it should be constructed within the premises of the households as it would be economical as well as facilitate their cleaning. However, where, due to space constraint, construction of pits within the premises may not be possible, pits may be constructed in places like lanes, streets and roads.

In case the pit is located under the road, street or foot path, the inverted level of the pipe connecting the latrine pan with the pit shall be at least 1.1 m below ground level or below the bottom of the water main existing within adistance of 3 m from the pits whichever is more. Construction of such pits may be in accordance with good practice [3(10)].

The water seal latrine should be properly maintained and kept in sanitary condition by the owner or the occupier. The contents of the septic tanks, soak pits, leach pits, etc, should be periodically emptied.

The leach pits should be cleaned only after 2 years of their being put out of service after they were full.

C-4 Roads and Pathways

The area under roads and path-ways in such housing projects should normally not exceed 20 percent of the total land area of the project.

Access to the dwelling units, particularly where motorized vehicles are not normally expected should be by means of paved footpaths with a right of way of 6 m and a pathway of 2 m only. The right of way should be adequate to allow for the plying of emergency vehicles and also for road side drains and plantation.

Where pedestrian pathways are not meant for motorable access to the minimum, right of way of such pedestrian pathway shall be 3 m. Where houses are accessible from one side only pathway may be 2 m wide. The maximum length of such pathways should not be more than 60 m.

C-5 Other Requirements

C-5.1 Requirements of fire safety, structural design, building services and plumbing services shall be as specified in the Code.

C-5.2 One water tap per dwelling unit may be provided, where adequate drinking water supply is available. If supply is inadequate, public hydrants shall be provided. In the absence of piped water supply, hand pumps may be used for provision of water supply.

C-5.3 Recognizing the need for informal use of space for shopping and informal occupation like road side repairs, Pan shops, etc, it is suggested that about $\frac{1}{4}$ of the total shopping area in a layout should be reserved for such informal uses to cater to the needs of low income families.

C-5.4 The infrastructural services shall be provided before the plots are handed over to individual owners.

C-6 Site and Services Schemes

C-6.1 The developed plot sizes shall be as per C-2.3.1. Services should be laid by the agency concerned as per the provisions of the Code. In so far as roads and pathways are concerned, they should be in line with C-4.

C-6.2 Site and services schemes should provide for the following:

a) Complete infrastructural needs for a permanent housing, on the periphery of individual plot or a group/cluster plots;

b) A service sanitary core in the plot;

c) A skeletal structure of columns and roof or a developed plinth; and

d) Permission to allow temporary construction on the plot.

While provisions in (a) and (d) are essential for site and services projects, recommendations in (b) and (c) are additional provisions depending upon affordability.

PART 3 DEVELOPMENT CONTROL RULES AND GENERAL BUILDING REQUIREMENTS

Sl No.	Land Use	Percentage of Land Under Each Use
		General (3)	Hill Area (4)
(1)	(2)
i)	Saleable:
	a) Residential	50, Min	35
	b) Work places, schools institutions, shops, community places, etc	20, Max	15
ii)	Non-saleable:
	Roads, pedestrian paths, drains, public and semi-public open spaces	30, Max	50
NOTES
1 Any neighbourhood development should have provision for basic civic and community facilities, however, where such facilities are available in proximity the same could be considered and, in that case, the area under residential use could be increased correspondingly.
2 If land required under statutory provisions of master plan/development plan is proportionately higher but serves larger city needs, readjustment of the recommended land use pattern may be considered. Such provisions should, however, be carefully reviewed by the planning authorities to keep them to the barest minimum levels.