E-Paper
Chandigarh: Forget buying, even conversion of property to freehold to cost a fortune
According to the notification, conversion charges for houses and flats in Manimajra (now Sector 13) will be calculated on the basis of collector rates applicable in Sector 38.
Converting leasehold residential properties into freehold in Chandigarh will now cost significantly more, as the UT administration on Friday notified the revised conversion rates. The last revision was carried out in 2017.
The new charges have been linked to collector rates, which were revised on April 1, 2025, and will automatically change in proportion with future revisions. A separate order will no longer be required for such updates. In Chandigarh, freehold ownership is allowed for only residential properties.
According to the notification, conversion charges for houses and flats in Manimajra (now Sector 13) will be calculated on the basis of collector rates applicable in Sector 38. The one-time charges will apply to flats/tenements, EWS houses, industrial labour houses, cheap houses, LIG, MIG, HIG, and upper HIG units—all originally allotted on leasehold basis by the Chandigarh estate office and housing board. These will now be eligible for conversion on a pro-rata basis.
Deputy commissioner and estate officer Nishant Kumar Yadav said, “The last revision was done in 2017, when charges were fixed. Now, a formula has been laid down for calculation, which will be as per the collector rates.”
North sectors hit harder
The revised rates are expected to make conversion particularly costlier in northern sectors compared to southern ones. Property prices in Chandigarh are already rising, and with both collector rates and conversion charges going up, ownership is set to become increasingly difficult for middle-class buyers. For instance, an MIG (Middle-Income Group) flat that earlier required just ₹10,700 for conversion will now need ₹5,27,100.
