Housing scheme: Chandigarh to fix rates of flats again

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 19

The UT Administration will calculate the rates of flats of the UT Employees Housing Scheme for different categories again.

This was decided at a meeting held on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a petition filed by the UT Government Employees’ Housing Welfare Society, wherein it was alleged that the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) was charging five times the initial price for land after the launch of the scheme.

Relief for buyers

• The decision was taken at a meeting held on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a petition filed by the UT Government Employees’ Housing Welfare Society, wherein it was alleged that the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) was charging five times the initial price for land after the launch of the scheme.

The meeting, which was held through video-conferencing (VC), was chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. Manoj Parida, Adviser to the Administrator, Ajoy Kumar Sinha, Finance Secretary and Chairman, CHB, Yashpal Garg, CEO, CHB, and the representatives of employees, Dr Dharmender Shastri, Balwinder Singh and Dr Brahamprakash Yadav, were present in the meeting.

An official spokesperson said after deliberations to resolve the issue regarding rates of flats of the UT Employees Housing Scheme, it was decided that the calculation of rates be made for different categories again by applying various factors such as floor area ratio (FAR), collector rate, plot area, etc, in consultation with the representatives of the employees.

Dr Shashtri said the Administration gave three options — charging only for the plotted land, and not for the total land, construction of an 11-storey tower project in Sector 56 and the Solanki proposal, which was proposed by former Administrator Kaptan Singh Solanki, fixing the price of a flat with 10 per cent interest on the old rate. “We need to know the exact price in each of the options before taking any decision,” he said.

It was also decided to hold another meeting (through VC) with the Union Home Secretary for further directions in the matter.

Parida stated that the project would not be abandoned and employees would certainly get houses at concessional rates.

The CHB had floated the special housing scheme for employees in 2008. The draw of lots was held on November 4, 2010, and over 3,900 employees were successful.

Under the scheme, 336 three-bedroom flats, 888 two-bedroom, 564 one-bedroom and 320 one-room flats were to be built on a land measuring 61.5 acres. Around 3,000 flats have to be constructed in Sectors 52, 53 and 56. Later, the scheme was shelved. It was revived after the employees took up the matter with MP Kirron Kher. But the Ministry of Home allowed the Administration to transfer the land to the CHB with the current collector rates. This had enhanced the cost of the flats manifold.

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