Need-based changes: Year on, Chandigarh Housing Board fails to convene meet over relaxation in norms

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, July 17

Residents’ demand for relaxation in need-based changes in Chandigarh Housing Board’s houses on the Delhi pattern notwithstanding, the CHB has failed to convene a meeting of its Board of Directors for the past more than a year. Owners of nearly 70,000 houses have carried out such changes in their units.

During the last meeting of the board held in May last year, the non-official members had written to the chairman to convene a meeting at the earliest to discuss certain clarifications regarding the need-based changes allowed in January last year.

Last year, the CHB had allowed 28 need-based changes, superseding all such previous orders, on payment of applicable charges. The CHB, however, rejected the major demand of one-time settlement policy on the “Delhi pattern”, but allowed a number of relaxations related to building violations.

Implement one-time settlement scheme

Nearly 90% owners have made necessary changes. These should be regularised under one-time settlement on Delhi pattern, so that a maximum of violations can be covered in one go. —Nirmal Datt, Chairman, CHB Residents’ Welfare Federation

Expanding families need more space

Expanding family needs necessitated changes. Small rooms, kitchens and bathrooms have been extended or constructed within the plotted area. —AC Dhawan, President, Resident Welfare Society, Sector 45-B, Chandigarh

Take a cue from other states

In other states, even colonies on government or private lands are regularised, but need-based changes are not allowed to occupants of CHB houses within the plot area. —VK Nirmal, Secy General, CHB Residents’ Welfare Federation

Owners have been opposing the 2023 notification, claiming it reverses previous relaxations and categorises these as violations.

Allottees had been demanding need-based changes/additional construction in residential units be regularised and one-time settlement introduced 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.

Residents started making demands for allowing need-based changes in 2010. The board had since revised its policy on the issue five times.

The first need-based policy was notified on March 23, 2010, and further on July 7, 2015; February 18, 2016; February 15, 2019; and on January 3 this year. In the policies notified in 2010, 2015 and 2016, the board had allowed the construction of a projection/balcony in front of MIG duplex flats with pillars below. However, this was rejected in the policies of 2019 and 2023 and is termed a violation now.

Nirmal Datt, chairman of the CHB Residents’ Welfare Federation, said nearly 90 per cent occupants have made necessary changes in their houses.

“In other states, even colonies on government or private lands are regularised in the absence of a rehabilitation policy, but need-based changes are not allowed to the occupants of the CHB houses within plot area,” said VK Nirmal, secretary general, CHB Residents’ Welfare Federation.

Aallotment of nearly 400 to 500 flats had been cancelled and notices served on thousands of occupants, he added.

Expressing similar sentiments, AC Dhawan, president, Resident Welfare Society, Sector 45-B, Chandigarh, said expanding family needs necessitated changes or additional construction. Nearly 90 per cent need-based changes had been made over the past 40 years.

Seeking a general amnesty scheme for all unauthorised constructions carried out in plotted area on the Delhi pattern, he said people desirous of availing themselves of this scheme would have to pay one-time usage charges for unauthorised constructions.

The scheme should be applicable to all such cases where construction has already been carried out and in future no deviation beyond the permission would be allowed. He demanded that charges should be reasonable.