Chandigarh, 5 January 2025: The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has cancelled the allotment of 29 small flats under the Small Flats Scheme, citing non-payment of dues by the allottees. Notices have been issued to the occupants, instructing them to vacate the flats within a month.
“If the allottees fail to comply, we will initiate eviction proceedings,” a CHB official stated, underscoring the board’s strict stance against defaulters. This follows the cancellation of 126 allotments under the same scheme in December last year.
The Small Flats Scheme, launched to provide shelter to low-income families, required allottees to pay a nominal license fee of ₹800 per month. However, the majority of the allottees have reportedly not cleared their dues for several years. As a result, many owe CHB ₹2 lakh or more in accumulated arrears.
The board repeatedly issued 5 to 6 notices to each defaulter and even provided opportunities for personal hearings, yet the dues remained unpaid. “We invoked clauses 2, 12, and 16(A) of the Deed of License under the 2006 scheme to cancel the allotments,” the official added.
The scheme offered houses on a license basis across various sectors and areas in Chandigarh, aiming to grant permanent shelter to economically weaker sections. However, the persistent defaults have raised concerns about its effectiveness.
The CHB’s latest crackdown serves as a warning to remaining allottees with unpaid dues, highlighting the board’s determination to enforce compliance and recover pending amounts.
