Chandigarh: In a bid to boost housing affordability and revive the long-stalled Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) project in Sector 53, UT administration has approved an increase in the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to 2.4, enabling construction of taller residential blocks under the proposed group housing scheme.The relaxation, recommended by the urban planning department, will allow buildings of up to six floors. Officials said the move is aimed at increasing the number of dwelling units, thereby reducing per-unit costs and making the project more accessible to buyers.“The revised FAR will enable maximum permissible construction up to six floors, which is expected to bring down the price of individual units,” a senior UT official said. Under the updated norms, ground coverage has been capped at 40% of the plot area, while the maximum building height has been fixed at 74.25 feet.Traditionally, group housing projects in Chandigarh’s sectoral grid have been governed by a FAR limit of 1.2 under the zoning plan, with limited relaxations granted to CHB in the past. Earlier phases permitted construction up to ground-plus-four floors, while some Phase III sectors allowed up to ground-plus-five.Officials said the latest revision maximises permissible development within the framework of the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP-2031) and existing building rules. However, it stops short of enabling high-rise development comparable to neighbouring cities, where residential towers often exceed 10 floors.“Within the constraints of CMP-2031 and current regulations, maximum possible relaxation has been provided. Any further increase would require amendments to the master plan,” the official added, noting that such changes are already under consideration.The CMP-2031, notified in April 2015 after a draft process that began in 2013, has remained largely unchanged, with courts repeatedly upholding its provisions to preserve the city’s planned character and architectural heritage.The Sector 53 housing scheme has faced multiple delays since its initial launch in 2018, when it saw poor response due to high pricing, receiving only 178 applications against 492 flats in a demand survey.Though revived in Feb 2023, it was put on hold later that year. The project was revived again in Nov 2024 under UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, who has pushed for improving affordability and increasing housing supply.A demand survey conducted in March 2025 drew strong interest, with 7,468 applicants for 372 flats. However, a sharp rise in collector rates since April led to a 35% to 40% increase in project costs, impacting pricing.Earlier estimates pegged prices at around Rs 74 lakh for EWS units, Rs 1.97 crore for 2BHK flats, and Rs 2.30 crore for 3 BHK units. Officials expect these prices to soften with the higher FAR, increased housing stock, and potential policy measures, including private sector participation.BOX: More relaxations in storeThe administration is all set to increase permissible FAR in Industrial Area Phase I and II to 2.0, from the current 0.75 and 1.0.Increase in FAR for commercial, hospitality, institutional and educational properties in areas other than ‘heritage sectors’ is also under consideration.The Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in 2023 mandated strict preservation of Chandigarh’s Phase I (sectors 1-30) heritage, banning conversion of single dwelling units into apartments and freezing the FAR to prevent chaotic urban growth. What Is Changing—Relaxation allows construction of residential blocks up to six floors—Move aimed at increasing number of dwelling units and reducing per-unit cost—Ground coverage capped at 40%; maximum building height fixed at around 74.25 feet—Revision made on recommendations of urban planning department—Change made within framework of Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP-2031)—Sector 53 housing scheme stalled since 2018 due to high pricing and poor response—Project revived multiple times, most recently in Nov 2024 under UT administrator—Demand survey in March 2025 saw 7,468 applicants for 372 flats—Rising collector rates led to 35% to 40% increase in project cost earlier this year— Officials expect higher FAR to help moderate prices and improve affordabilityMSID:: 130174828 413 |
