Tag: Chandigarh

IndustryLatest Stories

Chandigarh Faces Dilemma: Land Pooling vs. Acquisition Policy

Here’s a rewritten version of the provided content: CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh administration finds itself in a complex situation, balancing increasing pressure from the Centre to optimize limited urban land with ongoing demands from farmers and internal planning challenges regarding the future development of the UT’s remaining peripheral villages. On one hand, there’s a push for farmer-friendly initiatives; on the other, financial constraints and a commitment to the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 are urging a return to traditional outright land acquisition methods. Large swathes of agricultural land near 22 periphery villages remain undeveloped. Land pooling, once viewed as a collaborative alternative, has…

Latest StoriesResidential

Collector Rates Revised; Chandigarh Property Prices Up

CHANDIGARH: Starting from April 1, purchasing property in the city will become more expensive, particularly for residential options. The Chandigarh administration has raised collector rates across all categories, with the most significant increase occurring in the residential sector—up to 33% in plotted areas, up to 25% for housing board flats, and up to 15% for society flats. Last year, there was a nearly 130% increase in collector rates for sectors 1 to 12, 96% for sectors 14 to 37, and 80% for sectors beyond 38. In the previous revision in April 2021, rates for commercial properties were reduced by 10%,…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Sector 22-B Building in Chandigarh Declared Unsafe

CHANDIGARH: The fire and emergency services department has submitted a comprehensive report on the significant fire that erupted in a commercial building located in Sector 22-B on Wednesday afternoon. The report concludes that the top floor has suffered considerable cracking and is unsafe for any use. Damage to the building is extensive, with a short circuit identified as the likely cause of the fire, which took nearly four hours to extinguish. The report reveals that the upper floor of the two-storey structure has developed serious cracks due to the intense heat from the fire. This damage is severe enough to…

Latest StoriesResidential

Chandigarh Housing Board to Increase Charges for Resumed Properties

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has announced a proposed increase of up to 7% in restoration charges for properties that have been resumed due to unpaid dues or building violations. Previously, these charges ranged from ₹1.50 lakh to ₹2 lakh based on the floor and category of the property. Under the new structure, the charges are set to rise by an additional ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh in many instances. Furthermore, the revised fees will be aligned with the current collector rates, which may significantly impact smaller or lower-category properties. CHB has indicated that the current restoration fees are…

IndustryLatest Stories

Homeland Group, VRC Buy Mohali Land for ₹1,000 Crore+

Representative image NEW DELHI: Homeland Group, in collaboration with construction firm VRC, has procured two mixed-use land parcels in Mohali via a Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) e-auction, with a total investment exceeding ₹1,000 crore. The larger acquisition involves a 5.5-acre lot near the Chandigarh border, purchased at approximately ₹70 crore per acre, contributing around ₹400 crore to GMADA’s revenue. In another separate acquisition, the developers secured a 13-acre parcel in Sector 62, Mohali, at about ₹47 crore per acre, resulting in a total bid value of over ₹600 crore. Both parcels are slated for development as mixed-use projects…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

EOW Arrests Builder in ₹116 Crore Chandigarh Smart City Scam

CHANDIGARH: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Chandigarh Police has arrested Vikram Wadhwa, 52, a realtor from Sector 33, in connection with a scam involving around Rs 116.84 crore linked to the Chandigarh Smart City project. The arrest took place on Saturday. Authorities indicated that Wadhwa was also wanted by Haryana Police in connection with the Rs 590 crore IDFC First Bank scam. On the same day, the UT EOW secured production warrants for three other suspects—Ribhav Rishi, Abhya Kumar, and Seema Dhiman—from Ambala jail for questioning. Following his arrest, Wadhwa was presented in court, where the police requested…

IndustryLatest Stories

Chandigarh Proposes Clearer Property Categories and Penalties

CHANDIGARH: Significant reforms are set to be introduced to regulate building violations and property misuse in Chandigarh, with the administration proposing structured penalties, clearer property definitions, limits on fines, and increased administrative authority to tackle persistent urban development enforcement issues. These changes will be implemented through amendments to the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952, which will include new definitions in Section 2 of the Act categorizing residential, commercial, institutional, and other property types. A residential building is defined as any building utilized or modified for human habitation, including all associated garages and out-buildings. Commercial buildings encompass any…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

High-Priced Homes Out of Reach for Middle Class: Punjab HC

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised grave concerns regarding the skyrocketing costs of residential plots and flats auctioned by government development agencies in the Tricity—Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali—asserting these prices have made home ownership unattainable for middle-class and salaried professionals. The court has instructed the governments of Haryana, Punjab, and UT Chandigarh to develop a proposal aimed at addressing affordable housing, suggesting alternatives like lottery systems for all societal segments, including the salaried and middle class. “It seems that state authorities have begun prioritizing profit, abandoning the common citizen. The auction prices for residential properties are exorbitant,”…

IndustryLatest Stories

Haryana Supports Uniform Land Nomenclature in Revenue Records

Representative Image CHANDIGARH: Haryana is enhancing transparency and accuracy in land administration. Dr. Sumita Misra, Financial Commissioner of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, stressed the need for a uniform naming system for government lands in revenue records. During her address to officials on Sunday, Misra underscored that standardizing ownership and cultivation entries in jamabandi records will reduce confusion and improve governance. This initiative follows earlier directives from the Revenue and Disaster Management Department in January and July 2021 to streamline land ownership entries across state government, central government, boards, corporations, panchayati raj institutions, and urban local bodies. Misra pointed…

IndustryLatest Stories

Haryana Budget: 100% Interest Waiver on Property Tax Until Mar 2025

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced a complete waiver on outstanding interest on property tax up to March 31, 2025, as part of the 2026-27 budget. While presenting budget proposals in the State Assembly, Saini, who is also the finance minister, highlighted that over 41 lakh (41,70,749) property owners in urban areas have yet to pay their property tax along with the accrued interest. In another key announcement, Saini stated that residential properties will continue to be charged water fees at Rs 1 per kiloliter. Moving forward, metered residential properties covering up to 500 square yards will receive…