Chandigarh Housing Board Allottees Receive Significant Relief with Approved Need-Based Changes
In a major development for residents of Chandigarh, UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria has granted approval for a series of need-based changes to the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) policies. This decision, announced on Thursday, is set to provide substantial relief to allottees by relaxing various construction and modification norms.
Key Relaxations and Their Impact
The approved changes encompass a wide range of areas, including the construction of lifts, installation of additional doors, internal structural modifications, façade painting, adjustments to front and rear courtyards, increased water tank capacity, and the erection of temporary shades. These relaxations are expected to benefit more than 4.5 lakh city residents living in CHB-allotted houses, addressing long-standing concerns and improving living conditions.
Kataria's approval follows the recommendations of a committee established to review the Need Based Changes order dated January 3, 2023. This committee was formed by the UT administration under the leadership of the secretary of estate, UT, and conducted a comprehensive review in response to the Supreme Court's judgment on January 10, 2023, which directed the freezing of the Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The review also considered representations from stakeholders and current ground realities.
Implementation and Exclusions
The committee examined CHB's need-based changes policy order from January 3, 2023, and recommended its implementation with certain exclusions. Specifically, the CHB has been directed to immediately enforce Clauses 2-21, 24, and 26-28 of the order. A UT official emphasized that this move aims to "ensure clarity, transparency, and adherence to planning norms while addressing residents' concerns within the legal framework."
However, not all feedback has been positive. Hitesh Puri, chairman of Crawfed, welcomed the notification but criticized it for largely repeating the 2023 policy without substantial updates. He pointed out that key relaxations were excluded, particularly regarding a one-time settlement for changes made within storey and building lines. Puri estimated that only 20-25% of people will benefit from these changes, leaving many issues unresolved.
Detailed List of Approved Need-Based Changes
The relaxations come with specific limitations and conditions, such as structural safety, standard design adherence, building codes, and payment of charges. Below is a summary of the key allowances:
- Projections over windows and doors extending on both sides of the door and window length.
- Additional windows permitted in the end walls of corner dwelling units (DUs).
- Removal of 4½-inch walls inside apartments for space consolidation; thicker, load-bearing walls must remain intact.
- Lowering of existing window cills up to four inches above floor level.
- Additional construction limited to type-wise 2-dimensional drawings.
- Provision of grill or glazing in verandahs or balconies, subject to conditions.
- Uniformity in color patterns for painting and cement paint on building exteriors per block.
- Main gate width increase to 12 feet and height up to 6 feet.
- Coverage of balconies with lightweight sunshade materials.
- Internal changes in dwelling units without CHB approval.
- Additional construction of up to 150 sq ft or 75% of rear courtyard/terrace area, whichever is less, with smaller flats benefiting most.
- 10-foot-wide gates allowed in side or rear boundary walls abutting V-5/V-6 roads.
- Coverage of corridor areas adjoining HIG (upper) category DUs in Sector 45-A.
- Relocation of gates from side to front boundary walls.
- Water tank capacity increase up to 1,000 litres.
- Additional constructions permitted in HIG (lower)/Cat-II DUs in Sectors 47-C, 45-B, 41, and 38-A.
- For LIG (upper) duplex DUs in Sector 41-A, extension of room width by about 2 feet in rear courtyards over permissible areas.
- Conversion of first-floor terraces in LIG (upper) duplex flats in Sector 41-A into glass houses.
- Conversion of second-floor terraces in LIG (upper) duplex flats in Sector 41-A into terrace gardens.
This comprehensive set of changes marks a significant step towards modernizing housing standards and addressing the practical needs of CHB residents, while balancing regulatory compliance and safety considerations.
