There is a moving problem nobody mentions until it happens on the day. In many gated societies built in New Gurgaon and along the Dwarka Expressway over the last decade, the way to the loading bay and the goods lift runs down a basement ramp or under a covered drive with a height barrier. That barrier is usually between 2.1 and 2.4 metres. The goods truck that carries a 2 BHK is taller. The driver finds out when he tries to drive in.
This is not a rare edge case. These societies were designed around residents’ cars, and the basement clearances suit cars and SUVs. A goods truck was not part of the brief.
The heights that matter
Approximate overall heights of the vehicles used for household moves:
| Vehicle | Typical use | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Tata Ace or similar, open body | Shuttle for a few items | Under 2 m |
| Tata 407, closed body | 1 BHK and smaller moves | About 2.6 m |
| 14-foot closed carrier | 2 BHK | About 2.7 to 2.8 m |
| 17-foot closed carrier | 3 BHK | About 3.0 to 3.2 m |
Set against a 2.1 to 2.4 metre barrier, only the smallest open vehicle gets under. Every closed truck used for a full home stops at the ramp.
Not every society has this problem, and the same society can differ from tower to tower: some clusters have a ground-level service road to the lift lobby, while others can only be reached through the basement. That is why it has to be checked for your tower, not just your society.
What happens when the truck cannot get in
If nobody checked, the crew unloads at the nearest point the truck can reach, usually the road outside the gate or the visitor parking near the entrance, and carries or trolleys everything to your building. For a ground-floor flat near the gate that works. For a 12th-floor flat on the far side of a large society it can add two to three hours to an already long day.
It also changes the route to the lift. In most high-rise societies the goods lift is reached from the basement. If the truck cannot get down there, every item travels further on the flat before it reaches the lift lobby, and for washing machines, refrigerators and sectional sofas, every extra metre of carrying is extra risk.
How to check before your move date
Call your society’s facility management office and ask two questions:
- What is the height clearance at the goods vehicle entry?
- Is there a ground-level route for large vehicles to my tower?
Most facility offices know the answer; they handle moving vehicles every week. If the person on the phone is unsure, ask for the facility manager or the security supervisor.
Your mover should check this too, before choosing the vehicle. At CratoShift we confirm the access at the destination tower during the survey, and if the truck cannot reach the lift, the plan for getting goods in is part of the written quote rather than something added on the day.
The two ways a restricted society still works
A shuttle vehicle. A small open vehicle under 2 metres takes the goods from the main truck, parked outside or in visitor parking, down the ramp to the lift in several short runs. It adds time but removes the height problem entirely.
A ground-level carry. Where there is loading space near the building at ground level, the truck parks there and a larger crew carries goods to the lift lobby. This suits ground and lower floors, where the carry is short.
Neither is a problem when it is planned. Both are real problems at 8 AM on move day with a loaded truck outside a barrier it cannot pass. For the paperwork side of the same gate, see our guide to Gurgaon society gate entry rules.
First published . Last updated.