Lukewarm response to Sec 53 housing scheme in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, February 24

Even after slashing the prices twice, the general housing scheme of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Sector 53 has got a lukewarm response.

The CHB could get only 178 applications for 492 flats of various categories, including 192 three-bedroom flats (HIG), 100 two-bedroom flats (MIG), 120 one-bedroom flats (LIG) and 80 two-room (EWS) flats.

As per the demand survey conducted by the CHB, the board had received a total of 178 applications, including 95 applications for HIG category, 33 for MIG, 12 LIG, and 38 for EWS.

The CHB had extended the deadline for online filing of applications under the demand survey to February 23 to assess the public response to the scheme.

On getting poor response from the public, the CHB had slashed the prices by Rs 4 lakh to Rs13 lakh twice to attract buyers.

In a meeting in January, the CHB had cut the cost from Rs 1.63 crore to Rs 1.50 crore for HIG flat, Rs 1.36 crore to Rs 1.28 crore for MIG flat, and Rs 90 lakh to Rs 86 lakh for LIG flat. However, the board did not change the price of EWS flat, which was fixed at Rs 50 lakh.

In November 2019, the price of an HIG flat was reduced from Rs 1.8 crore to Rs 1.63 crore. Similarly, the cost of MIG flat was brought down from Rs 1.47 crore to Rs 1.36 crore and that of LIG flat from Rs 96 lakh to Rs 90 lakh.— TNS