In most Punjab neighborhoods today, the sight is the same cars left outside gates, vehicles squeezed into narrow lanes, arguments breaking out between neighbors over “whose space is whose.” These small fights have become so common that even the police are called in for something as simple as parking.
The Punjab government now says this situation cannot continue. A new set of building rules is ready, which will make parking space compulsory before anyone builds a house. The idea is simple: no parking, no house.
Under the proposed bylaws, a family building on a 300-yard plot will first have to keep space for covered parking at the ground level. Only above that can they construct up to three floors. On a larger plot of more than 300 yards, the same rule applies, but with permission to go up to four floors. Officials say the draft has already been completed and is just waiting for the Chief Minister’s approval. If cleared, the new rules could be in place this very month.
Walk into any colony and the problem is clear. Only a few houses actually have planned parking. The rest spill out onto the road, block entrances, and leave little space for anyone to even walk comfortably. Residents get into heated arguments almost daily, and the issue often reaches the police station. With the new bylaws, the government hopes to bring “peace to the streets” by ensuring every car stays within the plot it belongs to.
The rules will also apply to people renovating their houses. If you want to build a second or third floor, or create a new parking space, you will now need the written consent of your immediate neighbors. Departments say this will cut down on endless complaints and disputes. Neighbors will already know what is being built next door, and the permissions will be tied to a transparent, formal process.
Officials also point out that unauthorized or badly managed renovations often damage adjoining structures. Cracks in walls or shaky pillars are common complaints. The new consent rule is meant to avoid both property losses and the bitterness that follows between households.
For decades, Punjab’s cities and towns have grown with little planning. Houses are built in every possible way, maps are ignored, and parking space is treated as optional. The results are visible, clutter, quarrels, and growing frustration.
If the bylaws get the nod from the Chief Minister this month, Punjab will see a new kind of housing discipline where parking becomes the foundation of every home, not an afterthought. Supporters of the policy say it could finally bring relief to thousands of families who, until now, have spent as much time fighting over parking as they do living peacefully inside their homes.
