The ministry claimed that the housing board is not facing any financial crisis and that the CHB does not receive any grant/ budget from the central government / UT of Chandigarh. ( File Photo)
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that need-based changes in housing board schemes on the Delhi pattern of 1999, cannot be allowed in Chandigarh as the latter is a planned city with “unique architectural character” and has a “high vulnerability to earthquakes as it falls in Seismic Zone-IV”.
Nityanand Rai, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Home Affairs, was responding to a query raised by Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari on Lok Sabha, in which he asked why the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is not allowing need-based changes in CHB constructed and administered schemes on the Delhi pattern of 1999, despite the fact that repeated representations have been made by residents over the past 25 years.
“The Chandigarh Administration considered requests in 2022 and decided that the said requests on Delhi pattern cannot be allowed since Chandigarh is a planned city with unique architectural character and has high vulnerability to earthquakes as it falls in Seismic Zone-IV and the un-authorised violations may pose a threat to human life and public property,” the MoS said in his reply.
Rai also said that “certain need-based changes were allowed in relaxation of Chandigarh Building Rules, 2017 by the CHB”.
Tewari had also specifically sought the reasons why CHB is “diffident” about bringing a one-time amnesty scheme to regularise all need-based changes in its dwelling units given that 68,000 residential units are impacted and if the housing board is facing “financial crisis”.
Subsequently, the Chandigarh MP also sought details of the budget estimates, revised budget and actuals for CHB during the last five years, the details of funds sanctioned, released and utilised during the said period, and the details of the minutes of the CHB board meetings, and the details of the inventory, projects under construction and projects sanctioned during the said period.
The ministry claimed that the housing board is not facing any financial crisis and that the CHB
does not receive any grant/ budget from the central government / UT of Chandigarh. However, CHB’s budget is formed by revenue generated from its own resources. Funds are sanctioned, released and utilised as per projects, Rai added. He also informed the Lok Sabha that of the four projects, three are held up due to administrative reasons/statutory clearances.
How need-based changes became a poll issue
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Most of the violations or alterations are in the nature of additional floors and rooms, extra washrooms, extension of kitchen, and extended/extra balconies, among others. Further, a considerable number of allottees have projected cantilevers on the government land and constructed balconies/stairs/bathrooms.
Earlier, a detailed exercise had been undertaken by the CHB to cover maximum possible violations in consultation with the engineering and architect divisions of the UT administration.
Recommendations of a committee had been examined by the Chandigarh Administrationand certain need based changes were then allowed from 2019. However, the issue continues to haunt as a proper policy is lacking in the matter and at times notices are issued for violations.
Approval of need-based became a poll issue as it affected people living in all these units, who also constitute a major vote bank. These residents had made alterations in these units.
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A survey of 61,067 CHB dwelling units revealed that 90 per cent of people made changes to their units. As the housing board started sending notices to people for violations, representations from residents were sent to the board and local MPs regularly.
Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.
Professional Background
Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.
Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.
Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:
1. Investigative & Financial Reporting
"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.
"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.
"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.
2. Governance & Constitutional Status
"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.
"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.
"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.
3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment
"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.
"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.
"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.
4. Lifestyle & Local Trends
"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.
"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.
Signature Beat
Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.
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