CHANDIGARH: In a major relief for Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) allottees, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday approved a number of need-based changes.
The relaxations relate to norms regarding construction of lifts, additional doors, internal changes, façade painting, front and rear courtyards, water tank capacity, and temporary shades.
More than 4.5 lakh city residents living in CHB-allotted houses are likely to benefit from the relaxations. Kataria approved the recommendations of the committee constituted to review the Need Based Changes order dated Jan 3, 2023.
Earlier, a high-level committee constituted by the UT administration under the chairmanship of the secretary, estate, UT, undertook a comprehensive review of the consolidated NBC order dated Jan 3, 2023. The exercise was carried out in light of the Supreme Court’s judgment dated Jan 10, 2023, directing freezing of the Floor Area Ratio (FAR), along with representations received from stakeholders and the prevailing ground realities.
The committee reviewed CHB’s need-based changes policy order dated Jan 3, 2023 and recommended that the said policy be implemented with certain exclusions. The CHB was directed to start implementation of Clause 2-21, 24, and 26-28 of the need based changes order dated Jan 3, 2023, with immediate effect.
“The decision is aimed at ensuring clarity, transparency, and adherence to planning norms while addressing concerns of residents within the legal framework,” said a UT official.
“We welcome the notification on need-based changes as compared with the last need-based changes notification issued in 2019. The administration, though, should make substantial changes rather than simply repeating the 2023 policy. In that also, the administration excluded some key relaxations. Without allowing a one-time settlement in the CHB flats for changes made within the storey line and building line, the issue of so-called violations stands unresolved. In a nutshell, around 20-25% people will benefit,” said Hitesh Puri, chairman, Crawfed.
