After a decade, Chandigarh all set to get new housing scheme in Sector 53

Finally, a new housing scheme is coming at Sector 53 here. The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will soon launch this residential project, which is coming nine years after the Sector 51 housing scheme launched in 2016.

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Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday gave a formal nod to the self-financing housing scheme, which was hanging fire for the past almost a decade.

As per the tentative cost worked out by the CHB, a three-bedroom flat (HIG) will cost Rs 2.30 crore, which will be 39.39% more from the earlier proposed price of Rs 1.65 crore. A two-bedroom flat (MIG) is priced at Rs 1.97 crore, an increase of 40.71% from the previous proposed rate of Rs 1.40 crore. A two-room flat (EWS) will cost about Rs 74 lakh, which will be costlier by 34.34% from the previous tentative cost of Rs 55 lakh.

Kataria gave approval to the CHB’s proposal to launch the scheme with revised rates according to the current Collector’s rates in the city with effect from April 1.

The CHB had received an overwhelming response to the demand survey for the proposed scheme, which was put on hold by the Administration in 2023.

As many as 7,468 applications were received under the survey. These included 5,081 applications for 3 BHK, 1,269 for 2BHK and 1,118 for economically weaker sections (EWS). The 10-day survey was carried out from February 22 to March 3 this year. Nearly 68 per cent applications were received for HIG units only.

The proposed scheme has 192 HIG units, 100 MIG houses and 80 flats for economically weaker sections (EWS). The flats would be constructed on nearly 9 acres.

In a similar survey held in 2020 after a reduction in the cost of flats, the CHB had received just 148 applications against a total of 492 flats in the scheme. The Board then decided to scrap the demand survey and refunded the amount to the applicants.

However, after the CHB received a good response to its auction of the vacant flats and changed real estate scenario, the Board, in its meeting held on May 9, 2023, approved the construction of 372 flats along with tentative cost.

In August 2023, then UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had put on hold the scheme, deeming it unnecessary. This led to the cancellation of Rs 200 crore tenders issued on August 2, 2023, for the construction of 372 flats on nine acres.

The last CHB scheme was floated in 2016 for 200 two-bedroom flats in Sector 51.