Chandigarh hopes for relief on major property issues before Amit Shah meeting

The Chandigarh administration is preparing a detailed report on several long-pending property and civic issues before an important meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 24. Officials believe this meeting could bring major relief to thousands of residents in the city.

Many property-related matters in Chandigarh have been unresolved for years. These issues affect village residents, business owners, housing board families and people living in rehabilitation colonies.

Officials say there is hope that the upcoming meeting with the Home Minister may lead to policy decisions that can solve these problems.

One of the biggest issues is the extension of Lal Dora limits.

Lal Dora refers to village areas where certain building rules are relaxed. These boundaries were originally made to mark residential areas in villages.

Over time, many houses and buildings have been constructed outside these boundaries. But these constructions are often treated as illegal under current rules.

This has created problems for people living in Chandigarh’s 22 villages.

Residents have been asking for these constructions to be regularised so they can get legal ownership rights.

Without regularisation, many people face uncertainty about their homes and property.

Another major demand is the conversion of leasehold properties into freehold.

This issue is especially important for commercial and industrial property owners.

Under leasehold, the government remains the owner of the land, and property holders must follow strict rules.

They also have to pay ground rent and face restrictions on selling, transferring or changing the property.

Business owners say this system creates many difficulties.

If the properties become freehold, owners will get complete ownership rights.

This would make it easier for them to get loans, expand their businesses and transfer property without long legal procedures.

For many traders, this change has been a long-standing demand.

Housing and village issues remain a major concern

Another key issue is related to housing board homes.

Around 68,000 housing board units in Chandigarh are affected by regularisation demands.

Many residents have made changes or additions to their homes over the years.

These changes are still waiting for official approval.

Families want permission to fully use the built-up area of their houses.

They say these changes were necessary because of growing family needs and space shortages.

Without regularisation, they fear penalties or legal trouble.

The administration will also discuss ownership rights for people living in rehabilitation colonies.

Many families living there still do not have full ownership documents.

Granting ownership rights would provide them security and peace of mind.

For village residents, the Lal Dora issue is perhaps the most important.

Buildings outside the notified village boundaries are still considered violations.

People say they built these homes because village populations grew and land inside Lal Dora became insufficient.

Residents now want these areas to be recognised legally.

Officials say committees have already studied these matters and sent reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

This means the government may now be ready to take action.

The June 24 meeting could be a major step in that direction.

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New city planning proposals may also be discussed

Apart from property rights, Chandigarh’s future development plans will also be discussed.

The administration is expected to present proposals for changes in the city’s Master Plan.

One major proposal is allowing high-rise buildings.

Chandigarh is known for its low-rise and planned design, but with growing population and limited land, officials are now considering vertical growth.

This means taller buildings and better use of available land.

Another proposal is increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

FAR decides how much construction can be done on a piece of land.

In some Phase-III sectors, the proposal is to increase FAR from 1.2 to 3.0.

This would allow bigger buildings and more housing units.

The administration is also considering raising the building height limit to 30 metres.

At present, many areas have lower height restrictions.

If approved, this could change the city’s skyline in the coming years.

Mixed land-use areas may also expand.

Right now, Chandigarh has about 252 acres of mixed land-use zones.

The proposal is to increase this to 428 acres.

This means more areas could have both residential and commercial use together.

New housing plans are also under discussion.

These include high-rise housing near Maloya and mid-rise projects in Manimajra.

The goal is to meet the rising demand for homes.

However, not everyone supports these changes.

Urban planners and resident welfare groups have raised concerns.

They worry that taller buildings and higher population density could put extra pressure on roads, water supply, electricity and drainage systems.

Traffic congestion is another major concern.

Some experts also fear that Chandigarh may lose its unique heritage character.

The city was designed by famous architect Le Corbusier and is known for its organised layout and open spaces.

MP Manish Tewari has also warned that changes should be made carefully.

He said development is important, but it should not harm the city’s identity.

For now, all eyes are on the June 24 meeting.

Residents hope that long-pending issues will finally move toward solutions.

If decisions are taken, it could bring major relief to thousands of families and businesses across Chandigarh.

The meeting may also shape the city’s future growth for many years to come.