UP's new building bylaws approved! Skyscrapers upcoming in Lucknow, Kanpur & other cities

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Thursday approved new building bylaws that permit four times more construction on a plot than previously allowed, setting the stage for skyscrapers in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, and Varanasi. The 2025 bylaws replace 21 outdated regulations (2009–2024) to accelerate urban development.

The updated rules will extend beyond major city roads to include state and national highways, aiming to fast-track the development of townships, residential colonies, and commercial complexes. Property owners along key routes like Lohia Path, Ring Road, and the Lucknow-Kanpur and Lucknow-Ayodhya highways are likely to see major gains.

A major highlight is the increased Floor Area Ratio (FAR), with added incentives for green-certified buildings. For plots up to 1000 sq ft, no map approval will be needed. Instead, architects' certificates will suffice for residential plots up to 5000 sq ft and commercial ones up to 2000 sq ft.

The rules also promote mixed-use development, allowing commercial activities in residential buildings on roads wider than 24 metres. Multi-storey buildings will now be allowed on roads wider than 45 metres, making way for vertical growth across urban UP.