What is FAR and FSI, and How It Works in Gurgaon

FAR (Floor Area Ratio) and FSI (Floor Space Index) are two names for the same rule. Both measure how much total floor area you may build on a plot, counted across all floors, relative to the plot size. The formula is simple: total covered floor area of all floors divided by the plot area. A FAR of 1.75 on a 200 sq yd plot means you can build up to 1.75 times the plot area in total floor space. Haryana's official documents use the term FAR, while FSI is the term you will hear in Mumbai and other cities, so do not let the two words confuse you.

In Gurgaon, FAR is set by the Haryana Building Code 2017 and administered by DTCP and HSVP. For residential plots the permitted FAR generally runs from about 2.0 on smaller plots down to about 1.5 on plots above 450 sq m, because smaller plots are allowed a higher ratio. Ground coverage is usually around 66 percent and overall height is capped near 15 metres including the stilt, which in practice allows stilt plus up to four floors (S+4) on eligible plots. This is why so many independent and builder floors across DLF phases, South City, Sushant Lok and Suncity are built as S+4. Under the rules notified in July 2024, S+4 is sanctioned only where the plot faces a road at least 10 metres wide, and these approvals have since been tightened and legally contested, so confirm the specific plot qualifies before you count on a fourth floor. For group housing and apartment projects, FAR is capped at 1.75 of the site area. Exact figures vary by plot category and notification, so always confirm against the sanctioned building plan for the specific property.

Haryana also allows purchasable FAR, meaning you can pay DTCP for extra FAR above the base entitlement. Plots up to 75 sq m cannot buy any additional FAR, while larger plots can. The rates were revised in 2024, the first hike since 2016, and run roughly from around ₹4,500 per sq m for plots of 250 to 350 sq m up to around ₹10,000 per sq m for plots above 500 sq m. For a plot buyer this is real money and real built-up area, so it matters when you are comparing what two similar plots can actually yield.

For a buyer, FAR is the single number that decides how much you can build and, therefore, how much the land is worth to a builder. Higher permitted FAR means more floors, more saleable area and usually a higher plot price. Before you buy, check the sanctioned plan, verify that the existing or proposed floors match the approved FAR, and confirm the occupation certificate for a completed floor. An S+4 builder floor sold as a fifth or sixth floor without approval is an unauthorised construction risk, not a bargain.