Chandigarh, 18 January 2025: The fate of Chandigarh’s Sector 53 general housing scheme remains uncertain as UT chief secretary Rajeev Verma, who chairs the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), has directed officials to conduct a fresh demand survey.
In a meeting held Friday, CHB officers presented details of the scheme to Verma, who questioned whether a demand assessment had been conducted. The officers stated that the last survey occurred in 2018. Verma instructed them to update the survey before presenting the plan to UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria.
The scheme has faced repeated setbacks. On August 3, 2023, then-UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit halted the project, asserting there was no demand for it. This decision led to CHB canceling tenders worth ₹200 crore issued just a day earlier for constructing 340 flats on a nine-acre plot. However, the project regained momentum in November 2024, when Kataria asked CHB to submit an updated proposal.
Past challenges also include its 2018 cancellation due to lukewarm buyer interest, driven largely by high flat prices. CHB revised the project in February 2023, lowering prices to boost appeal. Under the revised plan, 340 flats were to be offered, including 192 three-bedroom units at ₹1.65 crore each, 100 two-bedroom units at ₹1.40 crore, and 48 two-bedroom EWS flats priced at ₹55 lakh. This was a reduction from 2018 prices, which reached ₹1.8 crore for three-bedroom units, ₹1.5 crore for two-bedroom units, and ₹95 lakh for one-bedroom units.
Separately, CHB is under scrutiny for delaying alternative proposals to secure green clearance for the IT Park housing project at Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (RGCTP). Despite UT administrator Kataria’s instructions in November to explore options, no significant action has been taken, according to a senior official.
In 2022, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) denied approval for the project, citing its proximity to the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The UT administration clarified that the proposed site, located 1.25 km beyond the ESZ, adheres to Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 guidelines.
The IT Park housing scheme includes 728 flats across two plots totaling 16 acres retrieved from Parsvnath Developers in 2015 after a protracted legal battle. Initially approved by the CHB board in December 2020, the plan involves constructing 28 four-bedroom flats, 448 three-bedroom flats, and 252 two-bedroom flats.
As challenges persist, both housing schemes await resolution through administrative review and updated strategies.
