Sealing of guest houses in UT villages stayed

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 19

In a major relief for 123 guest houses, motels and hotels operating from UT villages, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of orders for their sealing.

The Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Hari Pal Verma observed: “The counsel for the petitioners relies upon a Division Bench judgment of this Court decided on March 4, 2010, wherein it was held that the Capital of the Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952, is applicable to the area, which was notified to be part of Capital Project prior to January 1, 1966, and that the village in question, Kajheri, was not part of the Capital Project.”

“Therefore, the rules framed under the aforesaid Act are not applicable to the area in question though the premises shall be governed by the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act as extended to Chandigarh… In the meantime, operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed,” stated the Bench.

The MC had recently announced that it would seal the units if they were not shut down by December 3. The guest house owners had moved the UT Administration after the MC asked the owners to submit revised building plans, failing which parts of buildings constructed in violation of the rules would be demolished.