UT moves to allow merger of plots

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15

In a major relief to property owners, the UT Administration is considering allowing the amalgamation of two adjoining residential sites having the same owner.

Sources said a proposal in this regard was prepared after the Administration received a number of representations. For the purpose, the Administration has proposed to amend the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban), 2017, after publishing the draft notification and inviting objections.

Amalgamation of two or more adjoining sites with the same ownership is allowed in the case of commercial and industrial properties subject to the condition that the revised plans are approved by the competent authority.

Amalgamation of two adjoining residential sites is not allowed as of now. The Administration has given a number of relaxations under the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban), 2017, notified on the Haryana pattern to simplify building bylaws and streamline building plan approvals.

Under the same rules, the Administration has allowed amalgamation of floors of commercial properties — booths/SCFs/SCOs and semi-industrial plots — as a temporary arrangement even if the owners of the adjoining plots are different on the condition that both buildings should be rented to one party.

Amalgamation has also been allowed under the Haryana Urban Rules notified in 2017. The rules provide that two or more plots may be combined for purposes of construction of a building unit. Ashok Bansal, a resident of Sector 10, hailed the initiative saying that the needs of families were increasing and the rules should also be changed.