Panel to study structural safety of Sector 41-A, Chandigarh, flats

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, May 14

On the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has constituted a high-powered committee to consider a report on the structural safety of duplex flats in Sector 41-A in the city.

The seven-member committee will be headed by the CHB Chairman. The CHB Chairman further constituted a seven-member sub-committee of experts to ascertain and certify the structural safety after duly taking into consideration any compoundable or need-based violations on an individual basis of the duplex flats in Sector 41-A.

The sub-committee will submit its report to the high-powered committee for consideration.

Last month, the High Court had passed an order to demolish illegal structures in duplex houses in Sector 41-A. In compliance with the directions, the CHB, through a public notice, directed the allottees to remove the violations and rectify their units within seven days, failing which a demolition drive would be undertaken at the risk and cost of the persons concerned.

After a survey, the CHB has summarised the unauthorised constructions having serious structural stability issues as those ground floor units where blatant violations have been made by way of removing essential load-bearing walls thereby affecting the structural stability of the dwelling unit; those first floor dwelling units where an additional storey on the third floor has been raised as the existing foundations have not been designed to withstand the load of additional storey; those first floor dwelling units where construction over the cantilever portion on the first/second floor have been made/where construction has been made at second floor level, fully covered, thus loading the 9”x9” column that has been designed for original loading and is not able to take any additional load; and those first floor dwelling units where construction in back terrace without raising load-bearing wall from the ground floor have been made.

The CHB further stated that in case the demolition drive was to be carried out by the Board, there was every possibility that adjoining structures may also get damaged. “Hence, it is in the interest of the allottees to undertake the exercise on their own to minimise the loss/damages,” stated the CHB.