E-Paper
IT Park housing scheme | After ministry rejection, CHB to send fresh proposal for reconsideration
A standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) had rejected the proposal, citing that the location is near the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna wildlife sanctuary and development of high-rise buildings here would disrupt the migratory paths of birds
A month after the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) stalled Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB)’s much-anticipated general housing scheme at Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park over environmental considerations, the UT administration has decided to send a fresh proposal for reconsideration.
A standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) had rejected the proposal, citing that the location is near the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna wildlife sanctuary and development of high-rise buildings here would disrupt the migratory paths of birds. Besides, the waste, noise and air pollution arising as a result of allied activities in these townships will have a damaging effect on the sanctuary.
CHB chief executive officer (CEO) Yashpal Garg said, “The site is located 1.25 km away from the eco-sensitive zone, where construction is allowed. Thus, the UT has decided to send a fresh proposal to the ministry for reconsideration of the project.”
In works since 2020
The housing scheme, featuring 728 flats in three categories, was first approved by the CHB board of directors in December 2020.
Classified into 28 four-bedroom, 448 three-bedroom and 252 two-bedroom flats, the scheme has been planned on two plots, measuring 10.51 and 6.43 acres. The land is part of the 123 acres that CHB retrieved from Parsvnath Developers in 2015 after a long-drawn legal battle.
The towers will have two basements with provision of parking of two cars for each flat in addition to surface parking for visitors.
Though the exact rates of flats are yet to be decided, the cost of a four-bedroom flat is expected to be around ₹2.75 crore, that of a three-bedroom flat is to be ₹1.9 crore and for a two-bedroom flat, it is likely to be around ₹1.3 crore.
The rates are even higher than the Sector 53 general housing scheme, touted as the most expensive public housing project in the city’s history, which had to be scrapped due to poor public response. A three-bedroom flat here cost ₹1.8 crore, two-bedroom flat was priced at ₹1.5 crore and one-bedroom flat was for ₹95 lakh. CHB had received only 178 applications against the 492 flats on offer. Even after the board slashed the proposed rates by 15%, the response did not improve.
CHB’s attempt to auction 18 residential and commercial sites at IT Park in 2018 also did not attract many developers, again due to high reserve prices. The board had then decided to launch a self-financing general housing scheme on its own.
What the ESZ norms say
According to the Supreme Court directions, no permanent structure can be constructed for whatever purpose within an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
Further no commercial construction is allowed in the 0.5 km radius outside the ESZ. From 0.5 km to 1.25 km, construction of low-density and low-rise buildings up to 15-ft is allowed, while beyond 1.25 km, construction of new buildings, including houses, is allowed. According to CHB, the IT Park project falls 1.25 km beyond Sukhna wildlife sanctuary’s ESZ.
