E-Paper
2008 Employees’ Housing Scheme: Chandigarh admn challenges HC order in top court
Around 4,000 flats were to be built in Sectors 52, 53 and 56 by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for government employees as part of the scheme, launched in 2008
Five months after the Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Chandigarh administration to provide eligible employees flats under the 2008 Self-Financing Housing Scheme within a year, the administration filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, challenging the order.
In its May 30 order, the high court had also instructed UT to provide the flats at the 2008 rates. The cost of construction is to be paid by the employees at current rates. However, cost of the entire land meant for implementation of the scheme will remain at the rate of ₹7,920 per square yard, as announced in 2008.
This would lead to a financial loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore, the UT argued in the SLP. It was also stated that the land in question belongs to the UT administration and had not been formally allotted to the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Sectors 52, 53 and 56.
Despite this, CHB had floated the scheme, anticipating that the land would be allocated. The petition also noted that CHB had only collected registration money from the applicants.
A senior UT administration official said, “We have approached the Supreme Court. We are hopeful that the case will be listed in the next few days. CHB, the nodal agency for the project, had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court, which is awaiting listing.”
Meanwhile, the employees’ union had also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court in July. A caveat serves as a precautionary notice, requesting the court not to issue any order or grant relief without first notifying the party that filed it.
Naresh Mahajan, an employee who had applied for a flat under the scheme, expressed frustration over the delay. “The bureaucracy is working against the common man, harassing employees without reason. What is our fault? We will continue to fight until our last breath. We have full faith in the judiciary. Over 100 employees have already passed away, waiting for justice.”
Land cost has shot up from ₹237 crore to ₹2,200 crore since 2008
As per records, in 2019, the Union ministry of home affairs had determined the cost of the 61.5 acres land for the scheme at around ₹2,200 crore, coming to ₹74,131 per square yard. However, according to the collector rate of 2008, the per square yard rate will be ₹7,920, equating to ₹237 crore for the 61.5 acres.
Thus, the revised cost of a three-bedroom flat will be around ₹50 lakh, a two-bedroom flat will cost around ₹40 lakh, a one-bedroom flat around ₹35 lakh and a single-room flat around ₹15 lakh — translating into a financial loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore for the UT.
Around 4,000 flats were to be built in Sectors 52, 53 and 56 by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for government employees as part of the scheme, launched in 2008.
The project comprised 252 3BHK flats with servant quarters, 168 2BHK flats with servant quarters, 3,066 1BHK flats and 444 single-room flats for Group D employees.
