Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration is poised to make the first-ever amendments to the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 (CMP-2031), since its notification over a decade ago. This is part of an ambitious reform agenda aimed at modernising the city’s urban planning framework and optimising limited land resources.UT chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad directed the urban planning and estate departments to prepare and submit a preliminary draft proposal to amend the master plan in 10 days.The move comes amid a strong push from the central govt to advance “Deregulation 2.0,” which seeks to ease regulatory barriers, enhance ease of doing business, and promote more efficient land utilisation in a city facing rapid population growth and acute land scarcity.Senior UT officials described the proposed changes as a phased effort to update Chandigarh’s planning norms while preserving the city’s distinctive character. “These reforms reflect a broader push to modernise Chandigarh’s planning framework, reduce regulatory hurdles, and better accommodate growth in a city with constrained land availability,” a senior official said. He added that implementation is progressing in phases, with several changes targeted for rollout in the coming months.The CMP-203, which was finalised after a draft process starting in July 2013 and notified in April 2015 by the chief administrator, remained unchanged for more than a decade. Courts repeatedly upheld its sanctity in guiding development and safeguarding the city’s unique Le Corbusier-inspired heritage.These measures are designed to boost industrial activity, support educational and residential development, and unlock stalled projects in a city originally planned for 5 lakh residents but now grappling with over 12 lakh people and heavy reliance on rental housing.UT officials said the city’s heritage will be protected. “The development agenda is in line with the heritage principles of the city. Any changes in the master plan will be within the framework of laid down heritage provisions and judicial directions, particularly for heritage sectors,” said the official.The administration’s directive marks a pivotal step in balancing Chandigarh’s architectural legacy with the demands of contemporary urban growth, with officials emphasising that any amendments will be carefully calibrated to maintain the city’s planned identity while enabling sustainable progress.BOX: Reforms on UT agenda — Higher building heights and increased floor area ratio (FAR) in southern and peripheral sectors to enable vertical expansion and address housing shortages — Sweeping updates to fire safety regulations, aligning them with modern, liberalised global standards to improve safety while reducing compliance burdens for building owners and industries — Conversion of leasehold industrial plots to freehold ownership — Greater flexibility in industrial zones, such as relaxations for sub-division and amalgamation of plots, common parking provisions, removal of height restrictions, higher FAR, reduced setbacks, increased ground coverage, and provisions for smaller plots — Adoption of a “permitted until prohibited” principle for land use across zones, shifting from rigid restrictions to more flexible zoning — Elimination of minimum land requirements for establishing private K-12 schools — Creation of a land bank by identifying and utilising degraded forest and non-forest areas.BOX2: The Master PlanJuly 2013: Draft Master Plan of Chandigarh for 2031 notified Nov 2013: Board of inquiry constituted to look into objections and suggestions to the draft plan March 2015: MHA intimated the Chandigarh administration to issue appropriate action for notification of the master plan. April 2015: UT chief administrator (charge held by UT finance secretary) notified the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031 MSID:: 128889085 413 |
