CHB Wants To Construct A Housing Project In Himachal

Y.S. Rana

The writer is a Hamirpur based Himachali settled in Chandigarh

As the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has decided to go uphill for its housing projects, the experts here say otherwise. Bankrupt Board is on a diet. Starved of funds and choosing to be tightfisted rather than popular, the Chandigarh Administration finds it difficult to place it on a track of self-sufficient that could hit expansion plans of the board. Seeing a bleak future, the board has decided to go uphill to have projects in Himachal Pradesh, moving first time outside the city. Soon it will have properties in Mullanpur (Punjab) and Kandaghat and Solan in Himachal Pradesh.

Owing to no scope for further expansion in the city due to non-availability of land for housing projects, the Board is developing a housing project in Mullanpur, also known as New Chandigarh. But housing project by CHB in Himachal Pradesh has raised an eye brow where acquire of land is restricted to its residents. Outlining the broad contours of the project, Maninder Singh, Chairman, CHB said that consultant for the project has already been finalized and he would submit his report on feasibility of the scheme. He further stated that there would not be any legal hitch and would be the first time that board was going outside Chandigarh because of limited scope to expand in the city due to non-availability of land, vertical restrictions and maintenance of heritage present survival. The CHB has been looking for land in the adjoining states—Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The board revealed that it had found lands in adjoining states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh that can offer housing at affordable rate without limitations.

Sixty acres of land has been offered at Kandaghat and it will be bought directly from the land owners without land acquisitions. The scheme is opened for all and not restricted to Chandigarh residents. Singh also stated that still location has not been finalized and so far no initial work on the scheme has been started. Storey of flats will depend on the size of the land chunk. Large chunk of land, minimum storey of flats, he says. He also disclosed that the housing scheme in Mullanpur would be closer to PGI and Sarangpur. The types and number of flats were yet to be decided. He said, “We can go up to 14 storeys and above outside Chandigarh. We can offer many flats and reduce the rates further.”

When asked if going outside Chandigarh was due to high collector rates as compared to the adjoining states, the chairman said, “The rates are not an issue as eventually the collector rate is a very small part of the total cost of the project.” But in case of Himachal Pradesh where land and construction would be very high compared to Chandigarh and Punjab, the Board would not construct affordable flats. Due to many fraudulent property dealers, it is expected that buyers will rely on the CHB. “People often fall into the trap of grey market during investments when they are looking for flats in Himachal Pradesh. But they rely on our deliverance,” he said. At a time when the real estate business has nosedived, will there be buyers for such houses? He was hopeful that number of buyers would come forward. “It is a challenge. But we came up with the Sector 51 scheme at a time when the market was floundering and the bids went as high as Rs 78.5 lakhs for a 2BHK,” said Maninder.

Land Offered In Kandaghat

The Chandigarh Housing Board has recently invited expression from interested landowners and board is interested in a landowner who has big chunk of land. Over 60 bigha of land has been offered to the Board in Kandaghat, reveals the sources. The consultants would prepare the feasibility report to the board.

Rules Do Not Permit Such Project

Dinesh Kashyap, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Himachal Housing Board, Shimla while talking to Himachal This Week on phone clearly stated that rules would not permit such housing project by outsider housing board. “There are legal hassles and every housing board has its jurisdiction of operation which cannot be violated and added project would face equipping the transmission and distribution of electricity, supply of drinking water, management of wastes generated by the project and registration of land and its ownership. While talking to some experts, they have given a dissent note and did not hope much from the project. G.C. Dhadwal said that it would attract legal hassle as ‘no outsider is allowed to purchase land in Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal-o-Meter

The state’s ups and downs this week

ADB’s Rs. 524 Crore Loan For Modernisation

Shimla: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of about Rs. 524 crores (USD 80 million) for modernisation of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutes of Himachal to enhance the job prospects of the state’s youth. The total cost of the project is USD 100 million, with the Centre contributing USD 20 million. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The project will establish a polytechnic for women, six city livelihood centres, and seven rural livelihood centres, upgrade 11 employment and exchanges into model career centres to build TVET awareness among youth. Specifically, the project will align Himachal Pradesh’s TVET programmes to national skills certification standards, thereby, improving the employability and employment prospects of nearly 65,000 youth from 2017 to 2022.

Over 50 Child Care Centres Closed In Himachal

Shimla: More than 50 child care centres opened for the care of small kids have been closed in Himachal. It is argued that this step has been taken in accordance to the directions of Union Government. According to directions issued by Union Government, the child care centres with less than strength of 10 were asked to be shut down. Process for the same was going on for last one year. Aadhar cards of kids registered in these care centres were sought first under the process. But more than half of centres gave false and amplified records of kids registered to Child Welfare Committee. The survey thereafter conducted by Women and Child Welfare Department and team sent by union government exposed startling revelations. There were centres where not a single kid was there and some had only one or two kids. The further verification on the basis of aadhar card of registered card in child care centres lead to closure of more than 50 centres. The kids in these centres has been shifted in nearby anganwari kendras.

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