News · 12 October 2026 · 4 min read

Uttarakhand earthquake bylaws 2026: zone VI map withdrawn, state review goes on

BIS placed all of Uttarakhand in a new top seismic zone in late 2025, then withdrew that code in March 2026. The state's own panel on safer building bylaws is still at work.

What happened

A new top-risk zone. In November 2025 the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) released a revised earthquake design code, IS 1893:2025, with a new seismic map. ETV Bharat reported on 3 December 2025 that the map placed Uttarakhand in a new Zone 6, the highest-risk category. Before that, the state had been split between Zones 4 and 5. The Wire reported that the classification covered the plains as well as the hills.

ETV Bharat said the state planned uniform building rules for hill and plain areas. The Housing Principal Secretary, R. Meenakshi Sundaram, said smaller buildings were more at risk because they are often built by ordinary masons. The Wire quoted an official who said older bylaws had allowed slight concessions in Zone 4 areas, which would no longer apply.

The state forms a panel. The News Mill reported on 24 February 2026 that, on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's direction, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan set up a 14-member committee to revise Uttarakhand's building bylaws for seismic safety. It is chaired by R Pradeep Kumar, Director of CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, and includes experts from the Bureau of Indian Standards, IIT Roorkee, BRIDCUL, public works, irrigation and town planning departments, development authorities and geologists.

According to The News Mill and Drishti IAS, the panel will look at:

earthquake-resistant design and structural safety
geotechnical investigation and wind loads
landslide risk
land use, urban planning and building materials
combining traditional hill building methods with modern technology
training for engineers and planners

Its report goes to the State Disaster Management Authority and the Housing Department, after which amended bylaws are to follow. No deadline was reported.

The national code is withdrawn. Days later the national picture changed. Vision IAS, summarising The Economic Times, reported that BIS withdrew the 2025 code through a gazette notification of 3 March 2026 and that the 2016 version of IS 1893 applies again. The reasons reported were:

the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said consultation had been inadequate
estimated cost increases of 10–15% for buildings in the highest zones, and more for some residential buildings and infrastructure
doubts over how practical the new rules were

In an opinion piece for ETV Bharat on 11 March 2026, C P Rajendran criticised the reversal. The Hindu reported on 22 March that government-commissioned research suggests structural vulnerability in the Himalaya is higher than current assessments.

We could not find any report that Uttarakhand has disbanded its bylaws committee after the withdrawal, or any published draft of new bylaws.

What it means for buyers and owners in Dehradun

This section is our view.

Nothing changes on paper yet. Maps in Dehradun are still approved under the existing Uttarakhand bylaws, and the national code in force is the 2016 version. A house or flat being sold today was not designed to the withdrawn 2025 code, and no rule says it should have been.

The risk has not changed. The code was withdrawn mainly over cost and consultation, not because the danger was found to be lower. Dehradun sits in a seismically active state either way.

What a buyer can do.

For a flat, ask the builder for the structural engineer's name and confirm the design follows the earthquake code. See our checks before you pay for a flat.
For an independent house, look for an approved map and a completion certificate, and be wary of extra floors added later without approval.
On a slope or near a river, ask about soil and drainage before you buy. Our guide to Dehradun's plot belts explains the main areas.

For anyone planning to build. If new bylaws come, they may add requirements such as soil tests or stricter structural design. Getting a qualified engineer involved now costs little compared with retrofitting later.

You can browse houses for sale in Dehradun and ask owners about approvals before you visit.

Questions people ask

Is Dehradun now in seismic Zone 6?

Not under the code now in force. The 2025 code that created Zone 6 was withdrawn on 3 March 2026, and the 2016 code applies again, according to Vision IAS.

Has Uttarakhand changed its building bylaws for earthquakes?

Not yet, as far as we could find. A 14-member committee was set up in February 2026 to recommend changes, but no draft has been reported.

Does the change affect map approval in Dehradun today?

Maps are still approved under the existing state bylaws. Watch for amended bylaws once the committee reports.

Sources

Want to check a house or flat in Dehradun before you buy? Call Neeraj Thapa on +91 98320 03494.