Out of 492 units, 192 will be HIG flats (three rooms), 100 MIG (two rooms), 120 LIG (one-room sets) and 80 will be EWS units. (File)THE CHANDIGARH Housing Board in its revised brochure of the new housing scheme of Sector 53 has fixed a whopping Rs 1.80 crore for its three BHK flat. The new brochure in which changes have been made with regard to estimated amount of the flats will be placed for approval before the Chandigarh Housing Board’s meeting scheduled to be held this month.
“As per the revised brochure, a two BHK will cost approximately Rs 1.47 crore while just a one bedroom flat will cost a whopping Rs 95 lakh. The cost of EWS flat has been kept Rs 50 lakh,” a senior official of the board said.
In the previous brochure that was prepared by the board last year, it was decided to keep the cost of three BHK at Rs 1.64 and that of two BHK at Rs 69 lakh.
The official added that the revised estimation has been done after including the cost of land, board’s profit and other charges. The project will come up on an area of 8.98 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. Out of 492 units, 192 will be HIG flats (three rooms), 100 MIG (two rooms), 120 LIG (one-room sets) and 80 will be EWS units.
CHB claims that these flats will have the best facilities. There will be basement parking facility for two categories.
The three-bedroom sets will have the facility of twin basements while the two-room sets will have one stilt. Also, there will be a provision for lifts in all the towers. Apart from solar power generation facility, CCTVs will be installed too.
As per the proposed new brochure, an applicant has to be a bonafide resident of Chandigarh. However, this condition shall not apply to serving or retired defence personnel and the pensioners or family pensioners of defence forces, employees and retired employees of Government of India, Punjab, Haryana governments and Chandigarh and their boards, corporations.
It was in last December that the board had decided to roll out the scheme but it was held back. If the revised brochure is approved in this board meeting, the scheme is likely to be launched within a month. However, experts have criticised the board move. Former chairman of the Chandigarh Property Consultant Association Sunil Kumar stated, “It is almost Rs 2 crore for just a three-bedroom flat and this is huge. I don’t think many people will come forward for this. If anyone purchases a flat here in Chandigarh, they are all servicemen so they won’t be able to afford it. I feel they should keep the price at nominal market rates.”
Kamaljit Singh Panchhi, chairman of the Property Consultant Association, said that the scheme would fail with these exorbitant rates. “Just 15 minutes from here at Zirakpur or on the periphery, people can get a good three-bedroom flat for Rs 42 lakh,” he said. “Why will people come forward for this?”
