Chandigarh, March 20: The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is likely to reduce the number of economically weaker section (EWS) flats in its proposed self-financing housing scheme in Sector 53 after receiving a poor response in a recent demand survey.
Of the 7,468 applications submitted between February 22 and March 3, only 1,118 were for the 80 EWS flats, while the remaining were for higher-income group (HIG) and middle-income group (MIG) units. The scheme includes 192 HIG, 100 MIG, and 80 EWS flats.
CHB officials are now considering cutting back on the EWS units due to the low demand, sources said. “If the EWS flats are reduced, the board will have to redesign the layout and seek fresh approvals, which could delay the scheme’s launch further,” the sources added.
The housing project, initially shelved by the Administration in 2023, was only set for relaunch after gauging sufficient interest from eligible buyers and obtaining necessary clearances.
In August 2023, then UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit halted the General Housing Scheme, calling it unnecessary. This led to the cancellation of Rs 200-crore tenders issued on August 2, 2023, for constructing 372 flats on nine acres.
The current scheme is a revival of the one scrapped in 2018 due to low demand. The board had reduced prices in the revamped plan, setting them at Rs 1.65 crore for a three-bedroom unit, Rs 1.40 crore for a two-bedroom, and Rs 55 lakh for a two-bedroom EWS flat.
When introduced in 2018, the prices were higher at Rs 1.8 crore, Rs 1.5 crore, and Rs 95 lakh, respectively. Despite offering 492 flats, only 178 applications were received, leading to the scheme’s cancellation.
The last CHB scheme was launched in 2016, offering 200 two-bedroom flats in Sector 51.
