Patna: People planning to build a house or develop an apartment complex in Bihar may soon have to comply with a new set of construction standards under proposed building bylaws aimed at improving residential living conditions.
The Urban Development and Housing Department has incorporated minimum requirements for the size, width and height of various parts of residential buildings into a draft set of building regulations. Once approved by the state cabinet, the rules will become mandatory across Bihar.
Officials say building plans that fail to meet the prescribed standards will not receive approval.
Minimum Standards For Rooms And Kitchens
Under the proposed norms, every habitable room must have a minimum floor area of 9 square metres (approximately 97 square feet), a minimum width of 2.4 metres (8 feet) and a minimum height of 2.75 metres (9 feet).
The draft rules also prescribe minimum dimensions for kitchens. A kitchen must have a minimum area of 4.5 square metres (about 48.5 square feet), a width of 1.8 metres (6 feet) and a height of 2.75 metres.
Where kitchen and dining spaces are combined, the minimum area has been proposed at 81 square feet, with a minimum width of 7 feet and height of 9 feet.
New Rules For Bathrooms And Toilets
The proposed bylaws also set minimum standards for sanitation facilities.
A standalone bathroom must have a minimum area of 1.8 square metres (around 20 square feet), a width of 1.2 metres and a height of 2.2 metres (7.25 feet).
A standalone toilet must have a minimum area of 1.2 square metres (approximately 13 square feet) and a width of at least 0.9 metres (3 feet).
For combined toilet-and-bathroom units, the minimum area has been fixed at around 30 square feet, with a width of 4 feet and a height of 7.25 feet.
Move Aimed At Improving Living Conditions
Officials said the regulations have been drafted to address concerns about shrinking living spaces in urban housing projects.
In many apartment developments, builders have been accused of reducing ceiling heights and room dimensions in order to accommodate additional floors within approved building-height limits.
As a result, some residential units reportedly have room heights of only around eight feet, creating ventilation and comfort issues for occupants.
The proposed regulations seek to prevent such practices by establishing clear minimum standards that cannot be compromised during construction.
Standards For Other Building Components
The draft bylaws also include provisions relating to plinth levels and roof parapets.
According to the proposal, roof parapets will be required to maintain a height ranging from approximately 3.95 feet to 4.92 feet.
The government argues that standardising dimensions across residential buildings will improve safety, habitability and overall construction quality.
Proposed Minimum Dimensions
| Component | Minimum Area | Minimum Width | Minimum Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 97 sq ft | 8 ft | 9 ft |
| Kitchen | 48.5 sq ft | 6 ft | 9 ft |
| Kitchen & Dining | 81 sq ft | 7 ft | 9 ft |
| Bathroom | 20 sq ft | 4 ft | 7.25 ft |
| Toilet | 13 sq ft | 3 ft | 7.25 ft |
| Toilet & Bathroom | 30 sq ft | 4 ft | 7.25 ft |
| Roof Parapet | Not specified | Not specified | 3.95–4.92 ft |
If approved by the cabinet, the revised building bylaws will apply to future residential construction projects across Bihar and will become a key requirement for obtaining building plan approvals.
