Parking in Chandigarh UT is governed by the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban), 2017, issued by the Chandigarh Administration. For a group housing project, the number that matters is 1.5 equivalent car spaces (ECS) per flat of up to 111.48 sqm, plus 10% guest parking on the surface. Larger flats need more. This note sets out the figures by use and the basement and stilt rules.
One city, three codes
The Tricity is not one regulatory area. Chandigarh UT has its own rules. Mohali (SAS Nagar) follows Punjab's building rules and Panchkula follows the Haryana Building Code, 2017. A layout that passes in Mohali or Panchkula does not automatically pass in a Chandigarh sector. Check the plot's jurisdiction first.
Group housing: parking by flat size
| Flat (dwelling unit) area | Parking required |
|---|---|
| Up to 111.48 sqm (1,200 sq ft) | 1.5 ECS per flat |
| Up to 278.70 sqm (3,000 sq ft) | 2.0 ECS per flat |
| Above 278.70 sqm (3,000 sq ft) | 3.0 ECS per flat |
| Visitors | 10% guest parking, on the surface |
Source: CBR (Urban) 2017, Rule 4.2 (Residential, Group Housing), Sr. No. 24.
Group housing sites need at least 1 acre within the sectoral grid and 3 acres for integrated schemes outside it. Maximum ground coverage is 40%. Height is 14.25 m within the sectoral grid, or as per zoning (Rule 4.2, Sr. Nos. 2 to 4).
Basement, stilt and ramps
| Element | Group housing rule | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Basement | Compulsory, single level, below the zoned area; parking, services and utilities; min. 2.4 m below beam; free from FAR | Rule 4.2, Sr. 21 |
| Stilt | Allowed with shear walls per BIS; parking only; min. 2.29 m below beam; free from FAR | Rule 4.2, Sr. 22 |
| Ramp | In setback, for basement parking only; min. 4.0 m single, 8.0 m double; slope 1:10, 1:12 on curves | Rule 4.2, Sr. 23 |
Source: CBR (Urban) 2017, Rule 4.2, Sr. Nos. 21 to 23; definition of "Floor Area Ratio".
The FAR definition excludes a basement, or any floor, used for parking, services and storage. It also excludes unenclosed stilt used for parking or a pedestrian plaza.
Plotted houses and commercial sites
| Use | Parking required | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| House below 10 marla | 1 ECS | Plotted table, Sr. 25 |
| 10 marla to below 1 kanal | 2 ECS | Plotted table, Sr. 25 |
| 1 kanal to below 2 kanal | 3 ECS | Plotted table, Sr. 25 |
| 2 kanal and above | 6 ECS | Plotted table, Sr. 25 |
Source: CBR (Urban) 2017, residential (plotted) table, Sr. No. 25; Rule 5.2, Sr. No. 20.
Multiplexes and malls follow a split formula: 3 ECS per 100 sqm for the cinema component (plus 30% of that component's covered area) and 2 ECS per 100 sqm for the rest, with at least 80% underground. In houses, the basement is optional, below the built-up area, with a minimum height of 2.4 m, free from FAR. Stilt parking is allowed within the permitted ground coverage, FAR and height. For commercial sites governed by individual zoning, Note (i) to Rule 5.2 allows parking only in basement, stilt or surface. It bars parking on upper floors, other than standalone multilevel parking.
Worked example: 60 flats of 90 sqm
- Each flat is under 111.48 sqm, so the rate is 1.5 ECS per flat.
- 60 × 1.5 = 90 ECS for residents.
- Guest parking at 10%: 9 ECS, on the surface.
- Total: 99 ECS, of which 90 go in the basement and stilt.
The site must be at least 1 acre, and the basement is one level under the zoned area. If 90 conventional bays plus aisles and ramps do not fit in one basement and the stilt, the project has a capacity problem. That is where mechanical parking comes in.
What this means for a mechanical parking design
The pallet is the bay. Each pallet is designed as one car space. The rules we read do not say whether a stacked space counts as one ECS. Get that confirmed with the Estate Office before the count goes on the drawings.
One basement level sets the limit. With a single compulsory basement in group housing, extra capacity has to come from stacking within that level, or from pit systems below it. Both need the Estate Office to accept them.
The 2.4 m and 2.29 m figures are minimums. Stack and puzzle systems need more clear height than a fixed bay. Set the basement and stilt heights from the system's data sheet, and check them against the building's height limit.
Stilt and basement stay out of FAR. Parking levels do not consume FAR, so a taller basement or stilt costs construction, not saleable area.
Ramps are fixed. A 4.0 m single ramp at 1:10 takes setback area.
Caveats and what is pending
- We searched the 2019 and 2020 amendment notifications and found no change to group-housing parking or the single-level basement rule. They are scanned documents, so check the current consolidated rules before submission.
- Parking ratios for offices and institutions, the ECS area, and the SCO and SCF rules under architectural controls are still to be read.
- We found no clause on mechanical or stack parking in the pages read.
- Zoning plans and architectural control sheets can set site-specific limits.
- Mohali and Panchkula follow different codes.
- This note is general information, not a legal opinion.
Related reading
- Primary source: Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban) - 2017 (Chandigarh Administration, Finance Department, 2017)
- Gurugram parking: 1.5 ECS per flat and a 4.75 m height cap
- Delhi parking under UBBL 2016: 16 sq m per stacked car
- How Indian codes count a mechanical parking space
- Check your city's parking norms in the Compliance Atlas