Chandigarh Housing Board to Launch Revised Residential Plan in Sector 53

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is preparing to launch its much-awaited general housing scheme in Sector 53, with revised proposed prices following the implementation of new collector rates in the Union Territory (UT) on April 1 this year.

As per tentative estimates, a three-bedroom High-Income Group (HIG) flat is expected to cost around Rs 2.3 crore, nearly 39 per cent higher than the earlier proposed Rs 1.65 crore. A two-bedroom Middle-Income Group (MIG) unit is pegged at Rs 1.97 crore, up 40.7 per cent from Rs 1.4 crore. A two-room Economically Weaker Section (EWS) flat is proposed at Rs 74 lakh, marking a 34.3 per cent jump from the previously estimated Rs 55 lakh.

The demand survey for the scheme, carried out between February and March this year, drew an overwhelming response with 7,468 applications received. Of these, 5,081 were for 3BHK flats, 1,269 for 2BHKs, and 1,118 for EWS flats. Nearly 68 percent of the applications were for HIG units.

The scheme will offer 192 HIG units, 100 MIG units, and 80 EWS flats. The five-storey buildings will be developed on nearly nine acres in Sector 53. The HIG blocks will come with two basements, while the MIG and EWS flats will have single-basement parking.

Before the scheme’s rollout, the CHB will present it to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria for final approval. The project has obtained environmental clearance, and the housing board will also submit an application to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).

The housing scheme has faced several setbacks over the years. In August 2023, then UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had put the project on hold, calling it unnecessary. This led to the cancellation of Rs 200 crore tenders issued earlier that month for the construction of 372 flats. The last CHB housing scheme was launched in 2016, offering 200 two-bedroom flats in Sector 51.