The long-awaited Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) Scheme faces an escalation in delay as the board’s officialdom is split over whether to reduce the number of EWS units in the Sector 53 self-financing housing scheme or not.
A section of officials argues that reducing the EWS units below 15% of total units offered would go against the stipulated rules and regulations. While senior board officials believe that the ‘poor’ response in the demand survey for EWS units makes it necessary to reduce the number of units to be offered to the Economically Weaker Section.
Poor Response In Survey
A demand survey, concluded in March this year, registered 5,081 applications against 192 Higher Income Group (HIG) flats to be offered. For 100 Middle Income Group (MIG) proposed units, 1269 applications were received, however, CHB received only 1,118 applications for 80 units to be offered for Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
"If the EWS units are reduced, then the board will have to re-take the requisite permissions and approvals for the project, including environmental clearances. It would delay the launch of the project at least by another year," the Times of India quoted an official.
A disparity in opinions has emerged among officials regarding the response to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) units in the recently concluded demand survey. While some have expressed concern over the "poor" response, others argue that the interest shown by applicants is significantly higher than expected and comparable to other categories. In the recently concluded demand survey for the scheme, nearly 7,500 applicants expressed their interest. In a previous survey (2018-19), the scheme received only 178 applications.
Rates Of The Flats To Rise
With the collector rate set for a major revision from next month, CHB officials say the prices of the apartments are set to increase by 32% to 38%, depending on the category of the flat. According to the report quoting a senior CHB official, who didn't want to be named, "The 3-BHK flat, which is currently priced at Rs 1.65 crore, is likely to be priced at Rs 2.29 crore if the proposed collector rates are made effective. Similarly, the 2-BHK prices are set to increase from Rs 1.40 crore to Rs 1.97 crore. For the EWS flat, the price is likely to rise from Rs 55 lakh to Rs 73 lakh.”
Since it was planned in 2018, the launch of the housing scheme in Sector-53 has faced several challenges and delays. This is the third time the self-financing housing scheme, planned on a 9-acre plot in Sector 53, is being considered by the board. In March 2020, the board scrapped the scheme in Sector 53. However, the officers were asked to consider framing a new scheme with a lower cost. In 2022, for the revival of the scheme, CHB dropped the plan to construct 100 one-room flats. Under the revived scheme, CHB then in 2023 planned to offer 372 flats in three categories — 192 three-bedroom, 100 two-bedroom, and 80 two-bedroom EWS flats.
Notably, CHB reserves the right to abandon the scheme for the said project without assigning any reasons whatsoever, the report added.
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