Jolt to CHB allottees

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

In a setback to over 60,000 owners of dwelling units, the Chandigarh Administration has revoked all relaxations given by former Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) Maninder Singh Bains in the past three years.

Sources said the Senior Town Planner of the Urban Planning Department had conveyed the decision to the CHB after approval from the Administrator. While the decision is set to create panic among the allottees who made changes in line with the earlier orders, Chairman of the CHB Ajoy Kumar Sinha said no action would be taken against any allottee for now.

In a communication sent to the CHB, the Senior Town Planner said, “The Administration has decided to revoke all such orders which have been issued without the approval of the Chandigarh Administration and are not in accordance with the prevalent developmental regulations, including the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031.”

The sources said during Bains’ tenure, the CHB had issued over 10 orders giving relaxations to the allottees. The relaxations included allowing grills in balconies and verandahs, covering of corridors and shifting gates. The CHB continued to give relaxations despite objections raised by the Chief Architect, who is also one of the members of the Board of Directors.

Orders issued in past three years  

• Allowing 13 internal need-based changes 
• Allowing internal changes without approval of the CHB    
• Construction of additional rooms subject to conditions   
• Regularisation of additional construction in rear courtyard and terrace    
• Allowing gate and grill inside and at the rear boundary     
• Allowing covering of corridor area    
• Allowing grills in balconies  and verandah   
• Allowing shifting of gate from the side boundary to the front boundary wall
• Allowing regularisation of the fixed/open glazing of balconies and verandah    
• Allowing use of parking space with mutual consent of allottees in Sector 45  and 39-B    
• Permission to construct  lifts in CHB units subject  to conditions

No need to panic: Chairman 

There  is no need to panic as all issues will be decided by a committee formed  by the board to make recommendations for allowing internal changes. The board has decided that no coercive action will be taken   till the committee submits its recommendations. —Ajoy Kumar Sinha, Chairman, CHB