Now, CHB violators to pay for demolition too

CHANDIGARH: Illegal construction in houses will now cost residents dear as the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has decided to recover the cost of demolition from them. This has come as a double whammy for residents, who already suffer a huge loss due to the demolition.

The CHB move comes as a double whammy for residents, who already suffer a huge loss due to the demolition. File photo

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 2

Illegal construction in houses will now cost residents dear as the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has decided to recover the cost of demolition from them. This has come as a double whammy for residents, who already suffer a huge loss due to the demolition.

Sources said the CHB had started sending notices to residents after demolishing illegal constructions.

The CHB has issued notices to around 75 owners of houses so far asking them to deposit the cost of the demolition drive carried out by the enforcement staff.

The owners have been told to pay amounts ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, depending upon the expenditure incurred on the drive.

During the past three months, the housing board has demolished as many as 86 illegal constructions in houses at Dadu Majra, Dhanas, Mauli Jagran, Sector 45, 46 and 41, and several other parts of the city.

Since the drive started, the CHB has issued notices to over 200 owners to remove the violations at their houses.

If further illegal construction is stopped and allottees start removing violations on their own, no amount is charged from them. However, after the demolition, the expenditure is calculated and notices are served on the violators.

The CHB has deputed over 40 dedicated officers and employees to check violations and illegal construction and areas have been assigned to them. Earlier, the CHB used to demolish illegal structures, but did not recover the amount from the violators, which led to repeated violations.

The CHB decided to act tough after a survey found illegal constructions in over 90 per cent houses constructed by the board.

Under the new system, the CHB issues on-the-spot challans to violators with the direction to immediately stop further construction and remove illegal construction. After the issuance of challans, inspections are carried out to see whether further construction has been stopped. Photographs of fresh constructions are also taken. If further constructions are not stopped, demolition is carried out.