Many Delhi owners rebuild old houses as stilt parking + four floors – parking at ground level and four floors of living space above. The Master Plan for Delhi 2047 allows stilt + 4 floors up to 17.5 m (ground + 3 floors up to 15 m without stilt), plus a basement, and makes stilt parking compulsory for plots of 100–750 sq m. How large each floor can be depends on your plot – try our FAR calculator to estimate permitted floor area.

What decides what you can build

  • Plot size and location – the Master Plan and bye-laws give different limits for different plot sizes and areas.
  • FAR (floor area ratio) – the total floor area you can build, as a multiple of the plot area.
  • Ground coverage – how much of the plot each floor may cover.
  • Height limit – the maximum building height, which also limits the number of floors.
  • Stilt use – the stilt floor must be open and used for parking to be treated as a stilt.
  • Number of dwelling units – the number of separate flats allowed on the plot.
  • Road width and setbacks – these can further restrict what is allowed.

Why stilt parking matters

Delhi's rules encourage parking within the plot. A stilt floor used only for parking generally receives favourable treatment in the area calculations, which is why stilt + floors designs are common. The stilt must stay open – enclosing it later as a room is a violation.

Plan these early

  1. Structure – a four-storey building over an open stilt needs proper structural design, including earthquake resistance (Delhi is in a high seismic zone).
  2. Lift and staircase – plan them from the start; they decide how usable each floor is.
  3. Fire safety – taller buildings attract additional fire safety requirements.
  4. Light and ventilation – deep, narrow plots need careful planning for daylight in middle rooms.
  5. Approvals – the plan must be sanctioned before construction, and completion obtained after.

Limits differ by plot and change through notifications. Always have your plot checked against the current rules before you finalise a design.

Planning a rebuild? Design Tech+ checks what your plot allows and designs stilt + floors homes with structure and approvals included. Talk to us.