Board rules out policy on CHB flat alterations

The Board of Directors of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) today clarified that they cannot formulate a policy to regulate need-based changes in dwelling units, but maintained that minor alterations can be allowed with prior approval from the Department of Urban Planning. The move comes as a setback for around 60,000 allottees.

Chief Secretary-cum-Board Chairman Rajeev Verma presided over a board meeting today. The officials concerned pointed out that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already declined to approve such regularisation in July last year.

Meanwhile, the board approved the installation of lifts in multi-storey CHB flats where provisions for the same exist. It was decided that the CHB, in consultation with the architect wing, will develop a standardised design for these lifts.

The CHB is also considering introducing a penalty system for building violations and misuse of its dwelling units, similar to the Estate Office’s model. At present, the Estate Office issues a show-cause notice upon detecting a building violation, and from that day, a penalty is charged per square foot. However, the CHB has no such provision in place.

Verma directed the officials to examine whether the CHB can introduce a similar penalty system in the future.

The CHB will also review its approach to anonymous complaints, with the aim of providing relief to flat allottees troubled by such allegations.

Board member and BJP leader Shakti Prakash Devshali raised the issue of complaints being filed with ulterior motives, often targeting individuals due to personal rivalries. He stated that such cases lead to unnecessary harassment of allottees through official notices from the CHB. Devshali urged the board to take stringent action against those filing false complaints and to avoid initiating proceedings based solely on such allegations.

Verma directed the officials to formulate concrete guidelines for handling such complaints.