Chandigarh: Coordination panel raises demands with MP Kher

Besides, they also submitted their demand related to misuse and penalty notices. They maintained that the notices have been issued by the UT estate office, for which it was not empowered under the Punjab Capital Act 1952, and the same needs to be dropped. Thereafter, the additional need-based changes need to be allowed. Only then the penalty charges should be fixed on reasonable rates. There must be a zero period (of up to 60 days) under which the property holder must be allowed to set right the violation and misuse without any fine/penalty.

In a memorandum, the members also submitted that while the Administration is still working on the possibility of allowing fresh increase in floor area ratio (FAR) above 1 for industry, they requested for reinstating of original rate for availing 0.75 to 1 FAR in industrial plots which was Rs 200 per sq ft earlier but has now been increased exponentially (16 times) and rather arbitrarily through a new calculation which was formulated for allowing fresh increase in FAR for some other category of property in the city.

Besides, the members also sought reforms in the Estate Office Building Branch/Architecture Department; rationalisation of collectors’ rates; and withdrawal of unjustified fines and fees charged by CITCO on the sheds constructed and allotted by it.