Chandigarh Housing Board sets ball rolling for launch of Sector 53 scheme

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has started the process to launch its general housing scheme in Sector 53.

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According to sources, the board has sent a proposal with revised rates to the UT Administration for approval. After receiving the approval, the CHB would prepare brochures for launching the scheme and tenders would be floated for construction of the flats.

Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria recently gave approval to the self-financing housing scheme in Sector 53, which was hanging fire for the past many years.

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, while a two-bedroom flat (MIG) will cost Rs 1.97 crore, an increase of 40.71% from the previous proposed rate of Rs 1.40 crore. Similarly, a two-room flat (EWS) will cost about Rs 74 lakh, which will be costlier by 34.34% from the tentative cost of Rs 55 lakh fixed earlier.

The CHB has revised the prices after the implementation of new collector 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% applications were received for HIG units only.

The proposed scheme has 192 HIG units, 100 MIG houses and 80 EWS flats. The flats would be constructed on nearly 9 acres in Sector 53.

In August 2023, then UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had put the scheme on hold, 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.