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Chandigarh:
The Chandigarh administration is set to auction around 1,000 vacant government-owned properties from the beginning of the next financial year as part of a major revenue mobilisation drive and an effort to put idle land and buildings to productive use.
Senior officials said the properties were identified after a year-long review by the Estate Office. The inventory includes residential, commercial, industrial and institutional sites, and the auctions will be conducted in a phased manner depending on market response.
All auctions will be held through an online e-auction portal, and properties that fail to attract bids in one round will be relisted in subsequent months. The administration plans to conduct monthly e-auctions to ensure a steady flow of revenue.
Officials said the administration expects to generate over Rs 1,000 crore in revenue in the first two quarters of the upcoming financial year. The auction calendar for the new financial year has already been prepared and sent to the competent authority for approval.
“Regular auctions will help unlock revenue that remains tied up in vacant properties while also ensuring better utilisation of government assets,” an official said.
Around 130 residential sites have been identified for auction, with a majority located in the southern sectors of Chandigarh.
| Sector | Approximate No. of Residential Sites |
|---|---|
| Sector 37 | 12 |
| Sector 38 | 30 |
| Sector 40 | 38 (highest) |
Officials said demand for residential plots in these sectors is expected to be strong due to improving connectivity and rising housing demand.
The administration has also earmarked over 200 commercial properties for auction. These are spread across multiple sectors, with a relatively higher concentration in the southern sectors.
| Sector/Area | Approximate No. of Commercial Sites |
|---|---|
| Sector 39 | 15 (highest) |
| Sector 40 | 10 |
| Industrial Area | 10 |
Industrial sites will account for a significant portion of the auction inventory. Officials said these plots are likely to attract strong interest as most are being offered on a freehold basis.
| Industrial Phase | Approximate No. of Sites |
|---|---|
| Phase I | 10 |
| Phase II | 60 |
| Phase III | Nearly 100 (under development, to be auctioned later) |
In addition to residential, commercial and industrial properties, the auction list includes sites in categories such as:
Nursing homes
Motor markets
Rehri markets
Milk colony
IT Park
One institutional site
Officials said the Estate Office carried out a comprehensive clean-up exercise over the past year to identify vacant properties and ensure they were free from encroachments and legal disputes. Properties resumed by the administration were also taken into possession and added to the auction list.
“This exercise ensures that bidders get dispute-free properties, which improves confidence in the auction process,” an official said.
The administration plans to make property auctions a regular annual exercise, similar to the yearly revision of collector rates. Officials said this would help prevent illegal occupation of government land, improve transparency in allotment and strengthen the real estate market in the city.
In the previous financial year, the Chandigarh administration earned around Rs 150 crore through property auctions. Officials noted that the Estate Office has an advantage as many of its commercial and industrial properties are freehold, unlike those under the Municipal Corporation or Chandigarh Housing Board, which are largely leasehold and often attract fewer bidders.
With monthly e-auctions planned and a large number of sites on offer, the administration expects the initiative to deliver a significant revenue boost while ensuring better utilisation of government-owned properties across Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Estate Office
Starting December 2025, the Chandigarh Estate Office will begin regular monthly e-auctions of properties, offering nearly 800 plots across residential, commercial, and industrial categories. Each month, a fixed number of properties will be auctioned, and any unsold plots will automatically roll over to the next round.
Estate Officer Nishant Kumar Yadav confirmed that a detailed auction calendar is being prepared, outlining monthly schedules and property details. Residential plots will be offered on a freehold basis, while commercial and industrial sites will be leasehold.
However, local property experts believe the move might exclude middle- and lower-income families. They argue that with Chandigarh’s collector and reserve rates being significantly higher than prevailing market prices, the scheme may remain out of reach for the average homebuyer.
Property dealer Mukesh Goyal from Sector 22 remarked that administrative policies have long discouraged affordable homeownership in the city. He emphasized that unless procedures and pricing are revised, “ordinary families will continue to drift away from Chandigarh.”
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary H. Rajesh Prasad has urged the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to revive its long-pending general housing plan. With over 200 acres of available land—including parcels in the IT Park, Sector 53, and Sector 54—the CHB is expected to launch new residential projects soon.
Experts also criticized the continued ban on share-wise (floor-wise) property sales, calling it “unjustified” and detrimental to both public interest and government revenue.
Summary:
Chandigarh Estate Office to hold monthly property auctions from December 2025
Around 800 plots (residential, commercial, industrial) to go under the hammer
Experts warn scheme may be too expensive for middle-class buyers
CHB likely to announce a new housing plan using 200 acres of land
Calls grow to review the ban on share-wise property sales
The Estate Office, UT Chandigarh, has announced an e-auction for premium residential and commercial sites in various sectors of the city. The auction will be conducted online through the official e-auction portal, offering prime freehold residential plots and leasehold commercial properties.
Publish Date: 08 August 2025
Document/EMD Submission: 08 August 2025 – 28 August 2025 (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
Approval of Documents: 29 August 2025 – 01 September 2025
Auction Date: 04 September 2025 (9:00 AM to 11:00 AM)
The auction will be held on the eAuction Government portal (eauction.gov.in) and requires bidders to have a valid Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
Total Plots: 14
Locations: Sectors 19-B, 33-C, 37-D, 40-D, 40-A, 44-C, 44-A, 46-A
Sizes: Approx. 126 sq. yds to 1014 sq. yds
Reserve Price: ₹1.78 crore to ₹14.96 crore
Special Note: 5% extra charge for corner/park-facing plots
Key Highlights:
Freehold ownership
EMD: ₹2 lakh or 2% of reserve price (whichever is higher)
Payment: 25% within 48 hours of bid award, balance 75% within 90 days
Construction within 3 years (extension possible with penalty)
Supreme Court compliance – Joint ownership only within family; no share-wise transfers to outsiders.
Total Properties: 7 (SCO sites, booths, service booths)
Locations: Sectors 8-C, 24-D, 41-D, 45 C&D, 22-C, 43-B, 44 C&D
Sizes: Approx. 13 sq. yds to 325 sq. yds
Reserve Price: ₹41.8 lakh to ₹14.59 crore
Lease Period: 33 years (renewable twice for total 99 years)
Special Note: 5% extra charge for corner plots
Key Highlights:
Leasehold allotment with annual ground rent
EMD: ₹2 lakh or 2% of reserve price (whichever is higher)
Payment: 25% within 48 hours of bid award, balance 75% within 90 days
Construction within 3 years (extension possible with penalty)
Transfer allowed with prior permission; transfer charges apply.
| Feature | Residential (Freehold) | Commercial (Leasehold) |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership Type | Freehold | Leasehold (33 years, renewable up to 99 years) |
| Eligible Joint Ownership | Only within family (as per Hindu Succession Act) | No family restriction, but prior permission needed for transfer |
| EMD Requirement | ₹2 lakh or 2% of reserve price (whichever higher) | ₹2 lakh or 2% of reserve price (whichever higher) |
| Initial Payment | 25% within 48 hours of bid award | 25% within 48 hours of bid award |
| Balance Payment | 75% within 90 days | 75% within 90 days |
| Extra Charges | 5% extra for corner/park-facing plots | 5% extra for corner plots |
| Annual Ground Rent | Not applicable | 2.5%–5% of premium depending on lease period |
| Construction Period | 3 years (extension up to 12 years with penalty) | 3 years (extension up to 12 years with penalty) |
| Transfer Rules | Full property only, within family; no share-wise sale to outsiders | Transfer allowed with prior permission & charges |
| GST | On applicable dues | On applicable dues |
| Misuse/Violation Action | Penalties, sealing, possible resumption | Penalties, sealing, possible resumption |
Registration on eauction.gov.in
Valid Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Upload scanned EMD payment receipt, PAN (or Passport for NRIs), signed terms & conditions, and authorisation letter (if applicable) before deadline.
Payments via RTGS/NEFT to:
Bank: State Bank of India
Account No.: 30743528283
IFSC: SBIN0008719
All properties are offered on an “as-is-where-is” basis.
GST, stamp duty, registration charges, and all applicable taxes are payable by the purchaser.
Misuse of site/building or building violations may result in penalties, sealing of premises, or resumption of property.
Disputes will fall under Chandigarh jurisdiction.
For full details, including sector layouts and site zoning, bidders can visit the Urban Planning Department website and the Estate Office Chandigarh website.
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