The Punjab Government had reverted to older construction bylaws, scrapping controversial relaxations like stilt-plus-four housing. (Express File Photo)The Punjab government on Monday withdrew with immediate effect the Punjab Unified Building Rules, 2025, restoring the earlier framework of the 2021 Rules and 2018 Bye Laws, the move coming in the wake of widespread protests and a legal challenge before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This also marks the fourth instance in eight months when Aam Aadmi Party government had to retract or scrap a major policy decisionIn a notification issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the government said the Unified Building Rules stand withdrawn from the date of publication in the official gazette. It added that the earlier regulatory framework — The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Building Rules, 2021 and The Punjab Municipal Building Bye Laws, 2018 — would be revived and continue to apply as if the 2025 Rules had never been notified.The Rules, notified on December 15, 2025, had proposed sweeping relaxation of building regulations, including increased permissible floor area ratio (FAR), permitted stilt plus four floors (S+4) on plots along 40-feet-wide roads, greater commercialisation within residential areas, and introduction of a self-certification mechanismThe Rules had drawn strong opposition from residents’ groups, urban planners and civil society, who warned that the relaxations could lead to unregulated growth and severely strain the civic infrastructure, thereby converting Punjab into an “urban slum.”Vikas Garg, administrative secretary, Housing, said, “The Rules have been withdrawn as the high court had stayed these Rules”.The high court, on December 24, 2025, had ordered that the operation of provisions of the Punjab Unified Building Rules, 2025, which are inconsistent with earlier rules and regulations, shall remain in abeyance, and directed that violations which were treated as violations under the previous framework “be not regularised” in the meantime.This is the fourth time in the last eight months that the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government had to withdraw a major policy decision. Lat year in August, the government scrapped a land pooling policy following massive protests by farmers, landowners and opposition parties. Under the now scrapped policy, the farmers were asked to voluntarily pool land for development and, in return, get a share in developed plots. The government had identified more than 40,000 acres of land and was hoping that it would unlock thousands of acres without messy acquisitions and bring in hefty revenues through urban expansion. The policy was challenged in the high court, which had stayed it for four weeks. The policy was later scrapped.Story continues below this adLater, the government withdrew another policy aimed at regularising existing farmhouses and permit new low-impact residential units on land that had been de-listed from the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). These lands were largely in the environmentally sensitive kandi belt, from Mohali to Pathankot. The kandi area had about 60,000 acres of land that could be used to construct farmhouses, and the government planned to charge a compounding fee that could go as high as four times the collector’s rate.Advocate Kapil Arora had challenged the policy, alleging it violated Supreme Court directions regarding land taken out of preview of the PLPA. The policy, he said, favoured VIPs and land sharks who had already constructed structures in violation of the top court’s directions. On December 18, 2025, the National Green Tribunal granted an interim stay on the implementation of the policy after the government said it would not move ahead.In a notification on November 21, 2025, the government made it mandatory for owners of all apartments/flats in cooperative housing societies to get their units registered by paying stamp and collector’s duties, retrospectively. The order affected about 50,000 apartment owners in about 600 cooperative housing societies. The move aimed at generating Rs 200 crore, but it did not go down well with the owners of such properties. The government then reviewed its decision and made the registration mandatory only for prospective buyers. This issue too had reached the HC.Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd