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‘Unsuitable’: Chandigarh on land offered by Haryana
At present, Punjab and Haryana share the Vidhan Sabha complex. In July 2023, the UT administration agreed to allot 10 acres to Haryana for the new assembly building and subsequently the latter wrote to the Centre for environmental clearance for the 12-acre land.
Even as the political leaders of Punjab and Haryana continue to indulge in a war of words over allotment of land for construction of the latter’s assembly building in Chandigarh; a UT administration report has termed the offered land as ‘unsuitable.’
The UT’s letter commissioning a report , a copy of which is with HT, concluded that “the proposed exchange does not align with urban planning principles, as the two parcels of land differ significantly in terms of location, access, and usability”.
At present, Punjab and Haryana share the Vidhan Sabha complex. In July 2023, the UT administration agreed to allot 10 acres to Haryana for the new assembly building and subsequently the latter wrote to the Centre for environmental clearance for the 12-acre land.
On November 11 this year, the Union ministry of environment, forest, and climate change reportedly gave environmental clearance to the 12 acres of land in Saketri, Panchkula which Haryana has offered as part of the swap deal for constructing the new assembly building at 10 acres of land in Chandigarh abutting Madhya Marg.
The November 11 notification designates an area of 1 km to 2.035 km around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary on the Haryana side as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), and declares the 12 acres in question out of the ESZ, Haryana asserts.
After the offer, the UT urban planning department undertook a survey and noted that the offered land is low-lying, has a natural drain (nullah) running through it, and lacks proper access.
In contrast, the 10 acres of land being offered by UT to Haryana is a prime property valued at around ₹1,000 crore, the letter written by the department after the commissioning of a report to Chandigarh deputy commissioner says.
The letter further stated it was found that a natural drain (nallah) passes through the site, bifurcating it near the UT-Haryana boundary. The construction (in future) near the drain might not be feasible due to its significant width, the letter underlined.
The letter was written to then Chandigarh deputy commissioner Vinay Partap Singh, in December last year, who was negotiating with the Haryana government on behalf of the UT administration.
The letter draws a contrast between the two sites saying that the piece being offered by UT is near the railway light point and lies along a 200-foot-wide road connected to Madhya Marg, making it a prime location. However, the land offered in exchange lacks proper access, being reachable only through a 20-foot-wide road from Kishangarh/Bhagwanpura village.
Therefore, the two sites are not “comparable in terms of merit”, the letter adds.
It is not immediately clear, whether the UT’s concern over the land have been conveyed to the Haryana government.
Chandigarh deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said there are lots of things that need to be cleared before the UT decides to swap the land.
“First, we will get the clearance from the Haryana forest department regarding ESZ status and then we will take up the issues raised by the department of urban planning regarding the site with the district administration of Panchkula. Following which we will decide whether to proceed further or not,” he said.
Oppn parties criticise Centre’s move
The decision to allot land in Chandigarh to Haryana, which was carved out of Punjab in 1966, carries significant political implications. Political parties in Punjab have consistently opposed Haryana’s demand for a separate Vidhan Sabha within Chandigarh.
Apart from the AAP delegation, Shiromani Akali Dal rebel group leaders also met Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria, while BJP national executive member Manoranjan Kalia also wrote a letter objecting to the decision.
The leaders of Akali Dal sudhar lehar (reforms movement) handed over a memorandum to Kataria and expressed objection to the land being given to Haryana.
According to sudhar lehar convener Gurpratap Singh Wadala Punjabis are baffled over the move which amounts to interference in the jurisdiction of the states. Wadla was accompanied by Prem Singh Chandumajra, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Gaganjeet Singh Barnala, Paramjeet Kaur Landran, and Chanranjeet Singh Brar.
Kalia in a detailed letter to Kataria requested him to act strictly according to constitutional propriety in order to protect the interest, assets and faith of Punjab.
