CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh administration is poised to make the first-ever amendments to the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 (CMP-2031), since its notification over a decade ago. This is part of an ambitious reform agenda aimed at modernising the city’s urban planning framework and optimising limited land resources.
UT chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad directed the urban planning and estate departments to prepare and submit a preliminary draft proposal to amend the master plan in 10 days.
The move comes amid a strong push from the central govt to advance “Deregulation 2.0,” which seeks to ease regulatory barriers, enhance ease of doing business, and promote more efficient land utilisation in a city facing rapid population growth and acute land scarcity.
Senior UT officials described the proposed changes as a phased effort to update Chandigarh‘s planning norms while preserving the city’s distinctive character.
“These reforms reflect a broader push to modernise Chandigarh’s planning framework, reduce regulatory hurdles, and better accommodate growth in a city with constrained land availability,” a senior official said. He added that implementation is progressing in phases, with several changes targeted for rollout in the coming months.
The CMP-203, which was finalised after a draft process starting in July 2013 and notified in April 2015 by the chief administrator, remained unchanged for more than a decade. Courts repeatedly upheld its sanctity in guiding development and safeguarding the city’s unique Le Corbusier-inspired heritage.
These measures are designed to boost industrial activity, support educational and residential development, and unlock stalled projects in a city originally planned for 5 lakh residents but now grappling with over 12 lakh people and heavy reliance on rental housing.
UT officials said the city’s heritage will be protected. “The development agenda is in line with the heritage principles of the city. Any changes in the master plan will be within the framework of laid down heritage provisions and judicial directions, particularly for heritage sectors,” said the official.
The administration’s directive marks a pivotal step in balancing Chandigarh’s architectural legacy with the demands of contemporary urban growth, with officials emphasising that any amendments will be carefully calibrated to maintain the city’s planned identity while enabling sustainable progress.
