CHANDIGARH: Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria criticized the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for its inadequate performance in fulfilling its mandate of providing affordable housing in the city. The board has faced scrutiny for its long-standing stagnation, failing to initiate a single housing project in almost a decade.
During his inaugural visit to the CHB building in Sector 9, the administrator led a performance review meeting on Thursday, where various aspects of the board’s operations were discussed. He emphasized the need to reactivate the CHB to meet its objectives. Present at the meeting were CHB officials, including UT Chief Secretary-cum-Chairman Rajeev Verma and CEO Ajay Chagti.
Performance Concerns
The administrator scrutinized the board’s staffing, finances—including overdue rental payments, cancellations of allotments under the rental housing scheme—and plans for new housing initiatives. One major issue was CHB’s staffing. Despite remaining inactive for nearly ten years, it recently increased its workforce by hiring nearly 40 engineers and draftsmen. Most staff members have been inactive, as the CHB has not launched any new projects since 2016.
The board has struggled to collect rental dues for small flats, with over Rs 60 crore outstanding. After failing to consistently recover monthly rentals, the CHB increased cancellation and eviction efforts against allottees. These actions have faced criticism, as they appear to target the city’s most vulnerable residents. In the past 18 months, about 10,800 defaulters received rent due notices, leading to the cancellation of allotments for 509 individuals.
Currently, around 18,000 flats are allocated under various rehabilitation schemes, with approximately 15,000 pertaining to small flats and the rental housing scheme.
Sector 53 Housing Project
The CHB’s poor performance is highlighted by its seven-year effort to launch the Sector 53 housing development without success, despite receiving in-principle approval from the UT Administrator.
“The scheme is undergoing a significant revision,” stated a senior UT official, emphasizing the need to enhance accessibility and affordability for the public. Adjustments will be made to ensure the project is feasible,” he added. Notably, recent revisions of collector rates have significantly increased flat prices within the scheme.
“The administrator conveyed a clear message to CHB officials that there should be no delays in launching the scheme. They were instructed to finalize the valuation and submit proposals so that the housing initiative could commence before Diwali,” the official mentioned.
Currently, the housing scheme is set to include 372 flats, with two demand surveys conducted to gauge interest. At present, a three-bedroom flat is priced at approximately Rs 2.30 crore based on the new collector rate, which will also be reassessed.
Additionally, the administrator mandated the board to expedite plans for a housing scheme in Sector 54, where over 1,000 flats are anticipated to be developed in various categories.
