CHB to crack the whip on violators of bylaws

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is likely to crack the whip on violators,who have encroached spaces,backyards etc,in the High-Income-Group (HIG) houses constructed in various parts of the city. A number of of violations have been detected in the HIG houses in Sector 45. Backyards are covered,concrete lintels have been raised in the backyards of the houses by the house owners in utter violation of bylaws. The violations were detected during a survey conducted by the Chandigarh Housing Board last week. Taking note of the serious violations committed by house owners in the Sector,the CHB is likely to hold a massive demolition drive in the coming week.

Disclosing this,a senior CHB official said,“The Executive Engineer had conducted a survey of the area and around 40 such houses with gross violations have been earmarked. The demolition notices are being sent after which we will hire staff,taking the police help and demolish encroachments.”

The CHB shall be levying heavy penalty on house owners,where demolition will be carried out,to erase the violations. “The fines shall vary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh per house. The cost incurred on the demolition shall be divided among violators,depending upon the quantum of violation committed by them.”

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The Chandigarh Police has been contacted by the CHB officials,seeking adequate support during the demolition drive. The preliminary plans prepared by the CHB has indicated that the entire cost of demolition drive will be somewhere between Rs 10-12 lakh and the same shall be recovered from the violators,whose encroached portions will be demolished in the drive.

“We are craving to take Chandigarh into the list of heritage cities and with such gross violations,how can anybody succeed. Such violations spoil the entire character of the planned city like Chandigarh,” said Mohanjit Singh,Chairman,Chandigarh Housing Board.