How was building activity planned during the Harappan period?

The Harappan civilisation is renowned for its meticulous town planning. Before constructing structures, platforms were built. Once the platforms were in place, all building activities in the city were restricted to the fixed area on the platforms. These platforms were built in order to save the houses during floods. Hence, planning was the first step which was followed by implementation. Another example of planning can be seen in the use of bricks. The sun-dried or baked bricks that were used for construction were of a standardised ratio. The length and breadth were four times and twice the height respectively. Such bricks were used in all Harappan settlements.