E-Paper
IT Park project: CHB to build EWS houses elsewhere
Decks have been cleared for the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to build the mandatory housing units for the economically weaker section (EWS) on another location
Decks have been cleared for the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to build the mandatory housing units for the economically weaker section (EWS) on another location within the city instead of the proposed group housing project at the IT Park.
A sub-committee of the UT administrator’s advisory council — standing committee on urban infrastructure and planning for the city — has approved the CHB’s proposal to shift EWS housing scheme from IT Park.
“The CHB will be given a one-time exception and be allowed to build the EWS housing units somewhere else than the IT Park group housing project. The exception will, however, neither be applicable for any other project in the IT park nor to any private builder,” said a senior UT official.
Notably, in every project, either government or private, a portion of the units or land has to be reserved for EWS. Officials said that UT has followed the Punjab’s policy on government housing projects to allow shifting of the EWS units out of the IT park project.
“The committee’s approval will be submitted before the advisory council and views of its members will be taken before the decision is put into action,” the officials added.
The project is planned on 17 acres on two sites at the IT Park, and will comprise 784 flats, offering four, three and two bedrooms, besides facilities such as a swimming pool and gym.
In 2015, the board got back 123 acres of prime land from Parsvnath Developers and decided to develop residential housing there on 20 sites after it couldn’t get buyers for the land. About seven acre land has also been earmarked for flats for the officers of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. This project comprises EWS flats as well. The administration plans to allow development of 18 sites for housing projects by private developers.
The administration’s contention is that shifting EWS flats to another site will increase the number of flats to be offered on sale to the general public and will lower the prices of the units. CHB will now prepare a detailed plan and proposal for the shifting of the EWS housing units.
Approved by the administrator last month, the IT Park Housing scheme is likely to be floated by the end of this year or early next year. CHB is awaiting environment clearance for the project, even as the flats’ pricing has also to be finalised.
According to CHB officials, the flats will be priced based on the current collector rates, and will likely cost higher than its existing housing projects.
