CHANDIGARH, 24 June — The Chandigarh unit of the Congress party has lashed out at the administration for what it called an “arbitrary and steep” increase in charges for converting leasehold properties into freehold, calling the move a fresh blow to already burdened city residents.
“This decision is anti-people,” said HS Lucky, president of the Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee. “Thousands of families who have been waiting for regularisation will now be pushed further into financial distress.”
The administration, which is led by the BJP, has announced that a formal notification detailing the revised conversion rates will be issued in the coming days, with implementation scheduled for June 30. However, opposition leaders argue that the process has lacked transparency and public engagement.
“First they tripled the property tax, then raised water charges and allowed electricity costs to surge,” Lucky said. “And now they’ve come out with this draconian order. It will break the backbone of middle-class households, elderly residents and owners of small properties.”
The Congress leader also questioned the timing and manner in which the decision was made. “The people of Chandigarh are already under severe financial pressure. Imposing such a hike without any public discussion or explanation shows a complete lack of empathy,” he said.
Lucky urged the administration to reconsider the policy, stating that any conversion fee must be reasonable and fairly structured. “It should be nominal and within the reach of ordinary citizens. The current plan only serves to deepen the divide between policy makers and the public.”
As the city awaits the official notification on June 30, calls for a rollback are growing louder, with the Congress vowing to escalate the issue if the decision is not withdrawn.
