After lying low for nearly a decade, the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is back on the development map with three major housing projects. Leading the revival is a 1,000-flat scheme in Sector 54, planned on 32 acres of land recently cleared of encroachments. Alongside, the board is preparing to roll out its General Housing Scheme in Sector 53 this September, offering nearly 500 units, while also reviving its long-stalled IT Park project with a revised low-rise design.

The land in Sector 54 was cleared in June and July following the demolition of two major encroachments—the illegal furniture market and Adarsh Colony.

The furniture market, operational since 1985, was razed on July 20, unlocking 15 acres valued at Rs 400 crore. Adarsh Colony, a slum settlement spread over 12 acres, was cleared on June 19, reclaiming land worth Rs480 crore.

“With the demolition of the illegal market and Adarsh Colony, the site is clear now. We have prepared a layout plan for launching a housing scheme in Sector 54, where we have proposed 1,000 flats on 32 acres of land. The plan will be submitted within a week and, once approved, the scheme will be launched soon,” a senior CHB officer confirmed.

Flat Mix Designed for Diverse Needs The Sector 54 scheme will feature ground+5 and stilt+5 storey buildings. According to the proposal, the 1,000 flats will be evenly distributed across five categories:

• 250 units of 4BHK for large families
• 250 units of 3BHK and 2BHK for middle-income groups
• 250 units of 1BHK for small families and single inhabitants
• 250 EWS flats for economically weaker sections

In parallel, CHB is preparing to launch its long-pending General Housing Scheme in Sector 53 in the third week of September. Spread over 8.98 acres, the project will offer 492 flats in buildings up to five storeys.

This marks CHB’s first housing launch since 2016, when it rolled out a scheme in Sector 51. A senior official confirmed that the brochure for Sector 53 has been finalized, and the launch will proceed at newly revised collector rates. Under the updated pricing effective April 1:

• A 3BHK flat will cost Rs2.30 crore
• A 2BHK flat Rs1.97 crore
• An EWS unit Rs74 lakh

CHB is also reviving its housing project at Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park, nearly three years after the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) denied clearance due to eco-sensitive zone restrictions.

The revised plan limits construction to low-rise buildings (ground+3 floors) to avoid disrupting migratory bird flight paths near the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The project will utilize Plots 1 and 2 (16.60 acres) and Plot 7 (6.73 acres), part of the 123-acre parcel retrieved from Parsvnath Developers in 2015 after a prolonged legal battle.