Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria interacts with CHB flat owners, listens to their problems

Owners of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) flats took up various issues faced by them with Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria here today.

In an effort to strengthen direct communication between the public and the Administration, the Administrator today held a Janta Darbar at the UT Secretariat.

A large number of residents from various parts of the city raised their concerns at darbar. The Governor patiently listened to each person and took note of their complaints. On-the-spot instructions were given to officials concerned, who were present at the venue, ensuring that the process of grievance redressal was initiated without delay.

“The aim of the Janta Darbar is not just to hear the people, but to ensure timely and effective redressal of their problems,” Kataria said.

This initiative is part of a larger effort to make governance more responsive and accountable. The Governor’s Secretariat has planned to hold such Janta Darbars on a regular basis so that residents have a direct channel to communicate their issues to the highest office in the Union Territory.

In a memorandum to the Governor, Raj Kumar Pal, former president of the Property Consultants Association, stated that for the execution of the sale deed of a flat, the CHB published in three newspapers about the change of ownership of the flat and charged publication and processing fee for no reason. He said it was a waste of time as neither the Estate Office nor any other authority in Mohali and Panchkula had implemented such rules.

He further said maximum CHB flats were allotted on leasehold basis. He said flats in Sectors 49, 50 and 51 were allotted on freehold basis. Maximum flats were sold by execution of legal general power of attorney (GPA) by the allottees, he said. He requested that in case of GPA registered before 2011, Aadhaar and PAN card of allottee should not be mandatory for the execution of the sale deed.

He also requested that on the pattern of Estate office, auto-mutation system should also be implemented in the CHB.