FAR in Delhi (DDA / MCD) — A 2026 Architect's Working Reference

Delhi's FAR (Floor Area Ratio) framework — under the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 (MPD 2021) and the Unified Building Bye-laws 2016 — is plot-category-driven, like Delhi's setback regime. Smaller plots get higher FAR (Category I at 350%) reflecting the dense row-house typology of urban villages and unauthorised-regularised colonies; larger plots get progressively lower FAR (Category V at 150–200%), reflecting the bungalow-zone typology of South Delhi and LBZ. Delhi expresses FAR as a percentage of plot area, not a decimal — FAR 200% is identical to FAR 2.0, but the architect's submission to MCD must use percentage notation to match bye-laws convention and avoid sanction queries.

DDA-layout overrides

DDA layouts (Vasant Kunj, Dwarka, Rohini, Saket, Hauz Khas Enclave, etc.) often have layout-specific FAR caps that override the Unified Bye-laws baseline. Older DDA cooperative-society layouts may have FAR caps as low as 100% (FAR 1.0); newer layouts like Dwarka Sector 22 may permit Category III rates of 225%. The DDA layout sanction plan and the cooperative-society allotment letter are the authoritative documents — the bye-laws table is a default that applies only where the layout is silent. The architect's pre-design verification: which framework — layout or bye-laws — applies to this plot.

TOD zones and the bonus FAR mechanism

MPD 2021 introduced Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones around notified Delhi Metro stations — typically a 500 m radius from each station, with an inner core of 200 m carrying higher bonus. Within TOD zones, plots are eligible for bonus FAR over the baseline (typically up to 25–50%) against payment of a TOD premium fee, an affordable-housing component, and infrastructure-capacity certification. The TOD framework is one of Delhi's most progressive planning tools and is actively used on plots near Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar Phase 1, Dwarka Sector 21, ITO, and Hauz Khas metro stations. Each metro corridor has its own TOD notification — bonus values and conditions vary.

LBZ FAR caps — heritage overrides everything

Plots in the Lutyens' Bungalow Zone (LBZ) face FAR caps of around 100% (FAR 1.0) with ground coverage capped at 25% — well below the standard Cat IV–V baseline of 150–200%. Heritage-listed structures elsewhere in Delhi (Daryaganj, Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate) face similar restrictions through the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC). The architect's pre-design verification must confirm whether the plot sits in a heritage zone or carries a heritage-listed grading; both override the standard FAR matrix. Without HCC NOC, MCD and NDMC will not sanction LBZ work regardless of bye-laws compliance.

Stilt, basement, and terrace exclusions

MPD 2021 + Unified Building Bye-laws 2016 typically exclude from FAR computation: basement parking (fully excluded if used for parking and services), stilt parking (excluded up to 2.4 m height on plots above 100 sqm), service ducts (excluded if dedicated), terrace mumty / lift overrun / water tank (excluded subject to area limits), and open balconies (partially excluded depending on the bye-laws clause). Delhi's exclusion regime is broadly similar to BBMP's and Mumbai's but with somewhat tighter caps on terrace appurtenances — a 30 sqm mumty that BBMP would accept may exceed Delhi's cap.

OBPAS sanction — submission and percentage-notation FAR

MCD's OBPAS (Online Building Plan Approval System) requires the architect's FAR computation in percentage notation matching the bye-laws table — FAR 200%, not FAR 2.0. Submitting in decimal form triggers an MCD query and delays sanction. The FAR statement must enumerate exclusions clause-by-clause against the bye-laws schedule, and any TOD bonus or DDA-layout override must be explicitly cited with the relevant notification reference. JIC inspection at plinth and at completion verifies the as-built area against the certified FAR statement; on-site overshoot is a stop-work trigger.