Chandigarh Housing Board allows internal changes in dwelling units by allottees

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, December 19

Providing a major relief to allottees of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit has given his ascent to most of the need-based changes recommended by a committee.

The CHB has now allowed the allottees to make internal changes in their dwelling units without any approval from the board, subject to these being certified for structural safety and in accordance with the notified Chandigarh Building Rules, 2017.

Alteration norms for owners

• Must be within building line, skyline, plotted area without increase in covered area; no change to exterior face
• No prior nod from allottees of all floors in block; addl construction subject to mutual consent of allottees of adjoining floor
• Lifts allowed as per Online Building Plan Approval System design; if not possible in building, can come up in adjacent space
• Addl construction of 150 sq feet or 75% of area of rear courtyard or terrace subject to fulfilment of building bylaws
• Addl door in dwelling unit; can’t open onto public open space, pavement, plotted area, open/green space
• Changes must be certified for structural safety; adhere to Chandigarh Building Rules, 2017

The changes have to be within the building line, skyline and within the plotted area without any increase in the covered area and there is no change to the exterior face of the building. Also, no prior consent is required from allottees of all floors in a block.

The CHB has allowed additional construction only to the extent provided for in the type-wise two dimensional drawings available on the web page of the board. The CHB has also allowed free download of the standard drawings from the website or their collection from the CHB against payment of Rs 200 plus 18% GST. The additional construction is allowed subject to mutual consent of allottees of the adjoining floor abutting the additional construction.

Providing further relief to flat residents, the CHB has allowed construction of lifts as per the design approved by the Online Building Plan Approval System (OBPAS) through an empanelled private architect under the self-certification scheme.

The board has further allowed construction of lifts in adjacent appropriate space where construction within the building line is practically not possible. It has allowed the additional construction of 150 sq feet or 75% of the area of the rear courtyard or terrace, whichever is lesser, subject to the fulfilment of building bylaws, plans having been prepared/submitted by private architects on the panel of the UT Administration, certificate of structural stability, etc.

The Chandigarh Housing Board has also allowed allottees to construct an additional door in the dwelling unit subject to conditions that the allottee will obtain the certificate of structural stability. However, no door can open onto the public open space, right berm/pavement, outside the plotted area, open/green space or reserved area.

On the demand of residents, the CHB had constituted an eight-member committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary, CHB, to examine the request for further need-based changes in residential units of the board in September last year.

The committee submitted its report in July. After the CHB Board of Directors' approval, the recommendations were sent to the UT Administrator for a final nod.

Relief for LIG dwellers

On request of LIG (Upper) Duplex Complex Welfare Society Sector 41-A, the CHB has allowed extension of width of room by two feet, subject to fulfilment of light and ventilation norms. Terrace on first floor can be converted into glass house. Construction using opaque material not allowed. Terrace on second floor can be turned into terrace garden, but no construction material allowed.

Changes in 60K units

Allottees have been demanding regularisation of need-based changes/additional construction in residential units and one-time settlement on the Delhi pattern. Of nearly 70,000 houses constructed by the CHB so far, need-based changes have been made in 60,000 units, in which 20 per cent city population resides.

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