90% Chandigarh Housing Board homes have violations

Panel formed to review need-based changes will submit report on May 19.

The committee constituted to deal with need-based changes in Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) houses found that around 55,000 of the total 62,000 dwelling units have various kinds of violations.

Violations include additional rooms and toilets, conversion of balconies into rooms, covering of the courtyard and even construction of stairs on government land. (HT File)

These include additional rooms and toilets, conversion of balconies into rooms, covering of the courtyard and even construction of stairs on government land.

Over the years, house owners have constructed these structures against the rules and have now been demanding their regularisation.

On April 17, the CHB governing body constituted a committee under the board secretary to recommend whether such need-based changed can be allowed. The committee is to present its report in the board meeting on May 19.

The CHB will also be appointing a consultant to assess structure stability of need-based changes.

In October last year, the then CHB chairman, Maninder Singh Bains, decided to impose an annual penalty of ₹100 per square feet for building violations. Later, the penalty was slashed up to 75% for payment till March 31, but representations by various resident welfare associations forced the board to review need-based changes.

The board of governors in the May 19 meeting will also approve purchase of 86 generator sets for the elevators in the housing scheme at Sector 63, which has 86 blocks with 2,100 houses.

Each generator set will cost ₹3 lakh. This was a long-pending demand of residents as during power cuts they were forced to use stairs.