CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has initiated the demand survey for the self-financing housing scheme in Sector 53. CHB invited applications from interested persons, which can be made online at the CHB website only. The opening date for the demand survey is Feb 22, and the closing date is March 3.
The scheme will tentatively have three categories of flats, including sub-scheme A – HIG (192 units); sub-scheme B – MIG (100 units); and sub-scheme C – EWS (80 units). A CHB official said, “The demand survey is being conducted for the allotment of flats without any commitment. The CHB shall launch the scheme only after receiving adequate demand response from interested eligible persons and after obtaining requisite approvals.”
The applicant is required to deposit a payment of Rs 10,000 in the case of sub-scheme A and B, and Rs 5,000 in the case of sub-scheme C as confirmation of interest in the scheme, which will be adjusted in the EMD at the time of launching the scheme. In case the applicant, on the launch of the scheme, decides not to participate further, the whole amount of the deposit will be forfeited. “CHB reserves the right to abandon the scheme for the said project without assigning any reasons whatsoever,” states a public notice issued by the CHB.
The launch of the Sector 53 housing scheme was marred by delays for several years since it was first planned in 2018. This is the third time the self-financing housing scheme, planned on a 9-acre plot in Sector 53, is being considered by the board. Last year, just when the CHB was planning to launch the project, it was junked by the then UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit. Recently, the administration reviewed its decision and asked the CHB to give a presentation to the Chief Secretary on the project, which was given on Friday.
The scheme could not be launched in 2018 after a demand survey revealed that there were not many takers for the scheme because of the high cost of dwelling units. For 492 flats that were planned to be constructed under the scheme, only 178 applications were received in the demand survey. A one-bedroom set was priced at a whopping Rs 86 lakh, 2BHK for Rs 1.28 crore, and 3BHK priced at Rs 1.5 crore.
In March 2020, the board scrapped the scheme in Sector 53. However, the officers were asked to consider framing a new scheme with a lesser cost. In 2022, for the revival of the scheme, CHB dropped the plan to construct 100 one-room flats. Under the revived scheme, CHB then in 2023 planned to offer 372 flats in three categories — 192 three-bedroom, 100 two-bedroom, and 80 two-bedroom EWS flats.
