ChandigarhUnion TerritoryKothi design
Kothi design in Chandigarh
In Chandigarh, your plot already has a drawing: its sector's zoning plan or frame control sheet, under the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban) 2017. We design modern kothis inside that frame, from our studio in Sector 74, Mohali.
- Floors
- 3 storeys
- 33' on Phase I marla plots, 35' on kanal plots.
- Ground coverage
- 65% + 5%
- On marla plots, and 50% on 1 kanal.
- 1 kanal plot
- ≈ 500 sq yd
- Equated with 420 sq m in CBR 2017.
- Start on site
- 15 days
- After a self-certified submission, if no objection.
From CBR 2017, the zoning plans and the 2020 notification. Your plot's own sheet governs.
What makes a Chandigarh kothi different?
Le Corbusier planned Chandigarh as sectors of 800 m by 1,200 m, with houses reached from V-6 roads and never from the V-3 roads between sectors. The Edict of Chandigarh asks for “truthfulness of materials” in concrete, brick and stone, and the Capitol Complex joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.
So a kothi here belongs to a street picture. Its zoning plan or frame control sheet, signed by the Chief Administrator, fixes building lines, heights and coverage, and a frame control sheet can also fix facade treatment and opening sizes. The design starts from it. That is the difference from a kothi in Mohali or a kothi elsewhere in Punjab, which answer to other authorities.
Sources:Edict ↗UNESCO ↗CBR 2017 ↗
Chandigarh plot sizes: 5 marla, 10 marla, 1 kanal and 2 kanal in sq yd
In Chandigarh, marla is a plot category, not a fixed area: a 10 marla plot runs from about 222 to 293 sq yd. A 1 kanal plot is about 500 sq yd. Areas below are calculated from the official zoning plans for Phase I (Sectors 1 to 30) and Phase II (Sectors 31 to 47).
| Category | Official dimensions | Approx. area |
|---|---|---|
| 5 marla | 16'6" × 66'6" to 19'6" × 59'3" (Phase I) | 122 to 128 sq yd |
| 7.5 marla | 24'9" × 66'6" to 25'6" × 70' (Phase I) | 183 to 198 sq yd |
| 10 marla | 13 types, 30' × 66'6" to 33'9" × 72'3" (largest 33'3" × 79'3") (Phase I) | 222 to 293 sq yd |
| 12 marla | 33'9" × 80' (Phase I) | 300 sq yd |
| 1 kanal | 49'6" × 91' or 45' × 100' (Phase I); 48'9" × 97'6" (Phase II) | 500 to 528 sq yd |
| 2 kanal | 66'6" × 136'6" or 74'3" × 121'3" (Phase I); 78' × 117' (Phase II) | 1,000 to 1,014 sq yd |
| Above 2 kanal | 100' × 180' (Phase I) | 2,000 sq yd |
How many floors can I build on a Chandigarh plot?
| Plot | Ground coverage | Max FAR |
|---|---|---|
| Marla plots | 65%, plus up to 5% | 2.0 |
| 1 kanal | 50% | 1.5 |
| 2 kanal | 45% | 1.25 |
| Above 2 kanal | 35% | 1.0 |
- Three storeys at most: 33' (10.06 m) for Phase I marla houses, 32'3" (9.83 m) in Phase II and 35' (10.67 m) for kanal houses.
- The extra 5% on a marla plot is an optional single-storey zone on one side of the rear courtyard, at most 11' (3.35 m) high, and never on a side-road boundary.
- Stilt parking is allowed only within the permitted coverage, FAR and height, so it adds no extra area or height.
- In January 2023 the Supreme Court directed that FAR be frozen and that Phase I houses be held to three floors.
Sources:CBR 2017 ↗Supreme Court, 2023 ↗
Kothi front design in Chandigarh: what can you change on the facade?
Elevation photos online rarely show the rules behind them. Here the frame is fixed and the design lives inside it.
- 1Front boundary wall (optional): 1.13 m, plus a 0.69 m railing
- 2Front building line: fixed
- 3Height: 33' on a Phase I marla plot
- 4Projection line: nothing projects beyond it
- 5Roof service zone: 3.0 m in from front and rear walls, 3 m high at most
- 6Optional single-storey rear zone: 11' (3.35 m) high at most
- 7Rear boundary wall: 1.80 m
- 8Optional basement: non-habitable, at least 2.4 m high
Schematic Phase I marla section, not to scale.
Fixed by the rules
- The front building line.
- The projection line: no chajja, cantilever or band beyond it.
- Compulsory 9-inch party walls on Phase I frame-controlled plots, their cost shared with your neighbour.
- No exposed tank, chimney or pipes on any face.
- Exposed brick on corner end walls, and no plastered brick-cut work on major elevations.
- No mumty on a marla house, only a flap door of up to 2 sq m.
- Separate facades on amalgamated marla plots.
Yours to design
- Materials: CBR 2017 permits different materials under frame control.
- Door and window shapes, within your sheet's opening sizes.
- Gate design, up to 4.88 m (16') with the wicket, and two gates on the access road.
- An optional front wall of 1.13 m, plus a 0.69 m railing.
- A front-courtyard car porch roofed in AC sheet or fibreglass.
- Colour and finish inside the frame, where your sheet allows it. On Phase I frame control sheets the projecting frame itself stays white-washed plaster.
Marla items come from the Phase I frame control sheets (Job 197, drawings 13 to 15), which cover 5 to 10 marla plots and the 49'6" × 91' and 45' × 100' kanal plots. Zoning-plan plots and Phase II sheets differ. The control drawings are published online, but the Chief Architect's master copy overrides them.
Sources:CBR 2017 ↗Frame control sheet ↗2019 amendment ↗2020 amalgamation rule ↗
Can I build a basement in my Chandigarh house?
Yes, optionally, under the built-up area. It is for non-habitable use only: storage, parking, services and utilities. It is free from FAR, needs at least 2.4 m clear height and windows of at least 1/20 of its floor area, and keeps 2.4 m from a neighbouring building without a basement. Bedrooms and guest suites belong above ground.
Sources:CBR 2017 ↗2019 amendment ↗
Rebuilding an old sector kothi in Chandigarh
If you are replacing an older house on a sector plot, the rules shape the new kothi.
Give notice first
Demolition and re-erection need a Form A notice with your lease deed, sale deed or allotment letter.
Keep the front line
Extra coverage or FAR goes into the existing footprint first, then the rear or sides.
Talk to the neighbour early
On Phase I frame-controlled plots the party wall is compulsory and shared with the house next door. Check your own sheet.
Build in stages if needed
Phase I frame control sheets allow three stages, each built in full.
One house stays one house
Phase I houses cannot be divided into floor-wise flats (Supreme Court, January 2023).
Merge plots with care
Adjoining plots under one owner can be amalgamated with Estate Officer permission and a Rs 10,000 charge.
How do I get house plan approval in Chandigarh?
Plans go to the UT Estate Office. Plots up to 2 kanal under zoning or frame control use self-certification:
- An architect registered with the Council of Architecture self-certifies the plans, and work can start 15 days later if no objection is conveyed.
- The Estate Officer verifies the DPC certificate within 15 days. Self-certification is valid for 5 years.
- Water, sewer and electricity follow the occupation certificate, available once at least 25% of the permissible ground coverage is built, including a habitable room, kitchen and toilet.
- Under CBR 2017, kanal plots need rainwater harvesting and 1 to 3 kWp of rooftop solar. Solar duties for smaller plots have been under revision, so we confirm the current rule for your plot.
Fees were set in the 2018 and 2020 notifications and may since have been revised, so we confirm current fees and rules on every project.
Budgeting for a Chandigarh kothi
Our 2026 tricity guide puts construction at about ₹2,200 to ₹2,800 per sq ft for standard specification, ₹2,800 to ₹4,000 for premium and ₹4,000 and above for luxury, before the plot. Interiors, landscape and compound walls typically add 25 to 40%.
House construction cost in Chandigarh, 2026How we design a kothi in Chandigarh
Black Ant Studio (est. 2012, 100+ projects) is led by Ar. Dipesh Panghal, practising since 2013 and Partner Director at DDIR Architecture Studio, Bangalore, from 2019 to 2025.
- 01
Pull the sheet
Your sector's zoning plan or frame control drawing and CBR 2017 as amended, checked against the Chief Architect's master copy.
- 02
Draw the envelope
Building line, projection line, height band, party walls and roof service zone, before any room.
- 03
Plan for the climate
Summers reach 44°C and winter winds come from the north-west, so we shade the west and open living rooms to the north and east. Vastu is resolved here too.
- 04
Detail an honest palette
Brick, concrete and stone, with the kothi naksha (floor plan) and elevation drawn together.
Building a Chandigarh kothi from abroad
For NRI families we share drawings online, send weekly photo and video updates, and supervise the site with our own team.
Our residential work, in Hisar
(Questions about kothi design in Chandigarh)
How many floors can I build on my kothi in Chandigarh?
Three storeys under CBR 2017: up to 33' for Phase I marla houses, 32'3" for Phase II marla houses and 35' for kanal houses. The Supreme Court has also held Phase I houses to three floors.
Can I change the front elevation of my house in Chandigarh?
Partly. The front building line, projection line and marla frame controls stay fixed. Materials, door and window shapes and the gate design are yours, within your sheet's opening sizes.
What is the size of a 1 kanal plot in Chandigarh in sq yards?
About 500 sq yd (CBR 2017 equates 1 kanal with 420 sq m). Phase I sheets show 49'6" × 91' or 45' × 100'; Phase II shows 48'9" × 97'6", about 528 sq yd.
10 marla plot size in Chandigarh kitna hota hai?
In Chandigarh 10 marla is a plot category, not a fixed area. The official Phase I sheet lists 13 types, from 30' × 66'6" up to 33'3" × 79'3", roughly 222 to 293 sq yd, with most near 250.
Is a basement allowed in a house in Chandigarh?
Yes, optionally, under the built-up area, for non-habitable use only: storage, parking and services. It is free from FAR, at least 2.4 m high, and keeps 2.4 m from a neighbour without a basement.
Can I convert my Chandigarh kothi into floors and sell them separately?
Not in Phase I (Sectors 1 to 30). In January 2023 the Supreme Court prohibited dividing a house there into floor-wise apartments and barred registering agreements to do so.
Who approves house plans in Chandigarh, and how long does it take?
The UT Estate Office. Plots up to 2 kanal go through self-certification by an architect registered with the Council of Architecture, and work can start 15 days after submission if no objection is raised.
(Planning a kothi in Chandigarh?)
Send us the sector, plot number and size, and we will start from your sector's sheet. Every inquiry is read by a principal.