Chandigarh administration pushes for conversion of leasehold properties

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh administration has taken up the conversion of leasehold properties to freehold in the commercial and Industrial Area’s phases I and II with the officers of the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

UT adviser Dharam Pal on Thursday met the MHA officers. The administration had recently also written a letter to the MHA for giving in-principle nod for conversion of leasehold properties.

The UT had last converted leasehold plots to freehold in 1983 in the commercial category. The matter was also taken up by MP Kirron Kher with the MHA and the ministry of urban development (MoUD).

It is a long-pending demand of the industrialists of the city. Recently, the UT administration had conducted a survey in the Industrial Area for checking leasehold plots. The administration had set up phases I and II of the Industrial Area in the 1970s on an area measuring 147 acres. The plots are governed by zoning and architectural control, which were prepared as per the conditions prevailing at that time. There are 1,884 plots in both the phases, of which 700 are of one kanal and above, while there are 443 and 180 plots measuring 10 and 15 marlas, respectively. There are as many as 381 plots of five marla.

Some time back, the UT administration had sought a report on violations in industrial plots, including leasehold and freehold. The report was prepared by the UT estate office and put up before a committee formed by the administration to address pending demands of industrialists. Thereafter, certain need-based changes in architectural controls in accordance with modern day industrial requirements were allowed.

The UT had allowed that cycle stand could be used for other purposes such as storage of raw material. The UT had also stated that in the wake of thefts in industrial areas, partial covering of the central courtyard with polycarbonate sheets.