Rattled by CHB notice, Sec 41-A residents say matter sub judice

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 29

A day after a public notice was issued by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), warning residents of duplex houses in Sector 41-A to remove violations within 10 days or face demolition, the latter stated that the CHB itself allowed certain need-based changes from time to time, but later withdrew the same.

Members of the LIG (U) Duplex Complex Welfare Society said they had challenged the CHB’s action in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the case was still going on.

Structural survey not done so far

• Residents’ association claims the CHB didn’t undertake any survey to certify the structural safety of the flats as mandated by the HC
• It just measured need-based changes made by the allottees. As such, public notice issued by it is in contradiction to the HC order

They said the CHB had claimed that in compliance with a High Court order, it had constituted a committee of technical experts to survey 628 duplex flats at Sector 41-A to check structural stability and violations. Based on the findings of the survey, notices were issued to the allottees along with “built-up plans” indicating unauthorised constructions.

The members said the High Court had categorically stated that before initiating any action, structural safety of each individual unit should be certified, followed by identification of compoundable need-based changes on an individual basis of first and second floor of the houses. The CHB had not undertaken any survey to certify the structural safety of the flats. It had just measured need-based changes of the flats. As such, the public notice issued by it was in contradiction to the High Court order.

They further claimed the CHB itself allowed contain need-based changes from time to time. But later, these changes were withdrawn, which stood challenged in the HC, they added.

Sources said from 1985 to 2022, the allottees had been making changes in their flats by altering the layout or with additional construction, but the CHB took no action on the need-based changes as per bylaws. Such changes had been made by not only the owners of duplex houses of Sector 41-A, but also by CHB flats allottees across sectors, they said.

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