BLOG DETAILS
Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration has cleared plans for 1,840 new government houses in Sectors 25 and 43 to address the long-standing shortage of accommodation for government employees.
The House Allotment Committee (HAC) has approved the construction of 1,720 government houses in Sector 43 and another 120 houses in Sector 25 , paving the way for a major expansion of the government housing stock in Chandigarh.
In Sector 43, the HAC has approved the layout and design prepared by the UT urban planning department for 1,096 Type-II and 624 Type-III government houses . This takes the approved housing stock under the Sector 43 project to 1,720 units .
The engineering department will decide the project phasing based on budget availability . It will also ensure that the approved layout is implemented in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centre and Chandigarh administration .
The decision comes against the backdrop of a persistent shortage of government accommodation in Chandigarh , particularly for B- and C-category employees , who often have to wait for long periods for housing allotment.
In Sector 25, the HAC has recommended construction of 120 government houses on land that the administration had reclaimed after removing an illegal colony.
The committee examined three options before selecting Option I , which provides for 120 houses. It did not select Option III, which proposed 228 houses .
According to the source, the committee cited public interest while making the decision. It also considered the possibility that employees may be reluctant to occupy the larger proposed project because the rear side of the houses under that layout would open towards a cremation ground.
The Sector 25 project will allow the administration to put the reclaimed land to use for formal government housing instead of leaving it underutilised.
The Chandigarh government's housing expansion plan also includes replacing obsolete accommodation.
As part of the proposal, 124 government houses in Sector 20 have been declared unsafe and are proposed to be demolished and replaced with new Type-II and Type-III government accommodation .
The existing structures are in poor condition, with some buildings showing significant deterioration. The abandoned premises have also become a concern for local residents, who have raised concerns about their alleged use by anti-social elements.
A senior UT official said the projects represent a two-pronged approach: developing new government housing on reclaimed land while replacing old and unsafe government houses with new accommodation.
The move is expected to put sizeable stretches of government land back to productive use while expanding the availability of accommodation for Chandigarh government employees.
