E-Paper
After 15 yrs, UT employees’ hope for houses revive
The Chandigarh Housing Board will discuss the Self-Financing Employee Housing Scheme in December after a court directed the UT administration to explore a feasible scheme. A total of 957 applicants challenged the CHB's price change for land, and plans for the construction of 3,066 flats are in place. The scheme, originally proposed in 2008, has faced various controversies and delays.
Fifteen years after the Self-Financing Employee Housing Scheme of 2008 for UT employees was proposed, their hopes have revived again as the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will take up the issue in the board meeting scheduled for the second week of December.
In May this year, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed the UT administration to explore a feasible scheme.
Ajay Chagti, chief executive officer, CHB, stated that following the court’s directions, the issue would be taken up in the upcoming board meeting scheduled for the second week of December. The decision would be conveyed to the UT administrator, Banwarilal Purohit, who will make the final decision, he said.
In an application submitted before the Punjab and Haryana high court in May of this year, employees have expressed their concerns over the time that has elapsed from the date of filing of the petition till now, and also that with each passing month the allottees are retiring and a few have even died.” In response, the court instructed the UT to find a feasible scheme for employees.
A total of 957 applicants challenged the action of the CHB, which changed the price of land from ₹7,920 per square yard to ₹74,131 per square yard.
The CHB had already earmarked 33 acres in Sector 56 and 28 acres in Sector 52 for the flats owned by the UT aAdministration, with plans for the construction of 3,066 flats.
About the scheme
In 2008, the CHB proposed a special housing scheme exclusively for UT employees. Under the scheme, 7,911 employees applied, and 3,930 applicants were selected through a draw of lots. They deposited the money, but the scheme faced various controversies. In 2012, the then UT administrator, governor Shivraj V Patil, refused the land in Chandigarh, leading to the termination of the scheme. Finally, on January 2, 2019, the central government cleared the scheme at the collector rate, but the high cost of the land resulted in the scheme being put on the back burner and employees moved Punjab and Haryana high court.
