Chandigarh admn proposes 200-fold hike in penalty for bylaw violations

Taking a tough stance, the UT Administration has proposed up to 200-fold increase in penalties for unauthorised constructions, tree felling and advertisements.

For the implementation of the steep hike in penalties, the UT Administration has proposed an amendment to the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952. The changes, which affect Sections 13, 14, and 15 of the Act, will see the penalties rise sharply — from a mere Rs 500 to up to Rs 1 lakh — marking a 200-fold increase.

Sources said the changes were made after years of deliberation. The Administration had sent a proposal in 2022 seeking stricter penalties to curb violations that impact Chandigarh’s regulated planning, green cover and urban aesthetics. After multiple rounds of review and clarification, the Union Ministry of Law has finally cleared the proposal. The amendments will now be tabled in Parliament for approval and implementation.

According to the proposed amendments, the Section 13 deals with violations of building rules under Sections 4(2) and 6 of the Act. At present, violators are punishable with fine which may extend to Rs 500 and to further penalty that may increase to Rs 20 each day. This fine has now been increased to Rs 1 lakh and a further penalty of Rs 4,000 for each day for the period, during which the offence is proved to have continued. However, the amount shall not exceed 20% of the total value of the property calculated on the basis of prevalent collector rate on the date of adjudication.

Those who illegally cut trees and put up advertisements will also be reined in. Section 14 deals with violation of the Tree Protection Order and the Advertisement Control Order. Earlier, the penalty was a maximum of Rs 500 for each violation and Rs 20 per day for subsequent violations. The maximum penalty has been increased to Rs 1 lakh with a further fine of Rs 4,000 per day.

Here also, the maximum penalty will not exceed 20 per cent of the total value of the property calculated on the basis of prevalent collector rate on the date of adjudication. The objective of this Section is to conserve the environment and maintain urban beauty.