NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Karnataka govt’s decision to allow for construction purposes Premium Floor Area Ratio (PFAR) — which is FAR over and above the mandated FAR — saying it could lead to construction of multistoried buildings on many narrow 9-metre-wide roads in Bengaluru, worsening the already strained civic amenities in the burgeoning tech-city.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, “The permission for PFAR would allow many multistoried buildings to come up on narrow roads. The builders will sell a dream to the flat buyers. But what happens to the civic amenities? Providing increased FAR at a cost in a newly developed area may be alright. But such permission in old residential areas would strain civic amenities. What will happen to the residential areas where roads are narrow?”The bench said, “The state must think about the interests of the residents and not to benefit the realtors and builders. Should the residents come on the street to protest every time to seek protection of their rights? Should govt not think of how much congestion it would cause?”
