Bansal flays ban on commercial use of basements

 Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August  14   

Former Union  Pawan Kumar Bansal opposed the UT administration’s decision of banning the commercial use of basements. The Chandigarh Administration has withdrawn the permission for habitable use of basements in all categories of commercial properties on a weak ground of fire hazards. 

The former MP said the UT Administration had in 2012 permitted traders to use basements for commercial purposes without taking permission from the authorities concerned. The decision, he said, had then come as a big relief for many traders, who had taken up commercial activities in basements in different sectors. He added that now even some booths had basements and it was absolutely ridiculous and illogical to come up with a policy, which lacked reasoning and adversely affect the business community.

“With growing urbanisation and at a time times when going underground is the only solution, even the multilevel parking in Sector 17 has been built underground, then why the Administration has issued an order of far reaching consequence without even considering the negative impact it would have on the businesses of city. I agree fire safety measures are important and should be strictly followed but this is a decision taken in haste,” he said.