Latest news with #ChandigarhSmallFlatsScheme
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Demolitions since 2007 result in UT admn reclaiming 500 acres of land
With the latest demolition of Adarsh Colony in Sector 53 and 54 on Thursday and the action on 18 other illegal colonies, the Chandigarh Administration has reclaimed 500 acres of its land from the drive that began in 2007. According to official records, the demolition drive against the illegal colonies established in Chandigarh began 18 years ago, when on May 6, 2007, a large chunk of slums in Janta Colony, Sector 25, was demolished along with Kumhar Colony, as part of the city's slum-free campaign. The demolition led to the removal of approximately 2,500 shanties and displaced around 5,000 residents. The 10-acre area was reclaimed by the UT Administration from this action. While 2.5 acres of land was cleared at SBS Colony in Mauli Jagran in 2010, 40 acres from the demolition of Rajiv Colony and 55 acres from Colony Number 5 in 2013. In 2014, 89 acres of land was reclaimed with the demolition of Kalyan Colony and 65 acres from Ambedkar Colony. The same year also saw the demolition of Nehru Colony, Pandit Colony, and Kuldeep Colony, with 38 acres of land taken back by the administration. Another 30 acres of land each was cleared from the demolition of Majdoor Colony and Madrasi Colony, while 50 acres from razing Kabari Colony in 2014. With the demolition of Gursagar Colony in Maloya and Lal Bahadur Shastri Colony in Palsora in 2016, 3 and 20 acres of land respectively were reclaimed by the administration. In 2022, 65 acres of land was recovered with demolition of Colony Number 4, and 6 acres of land from Sanjay Colony in Industrial Area in 2025. On June 19, the Administration took back 12 acres of land with the demolition of Adarsh Colony. Following the demolition of Adarsh Colony, only one slum — Shahpur Colony in Sector 38 — will remain, which has about 300 shanties spread across four acres of government land, valued at Rs 150 crore. In 2006, the UT administration launched a rehabilitation initiative under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, earmarking 356 acres for the construction of 25,728 flats intended to house 23,841 families from 18 unauthorised colonies. According to an official, the Chandigarh Administration has rehabilitated around 28,000 people, who had been living in the unauthorised colonies, since 2006 under the Economic Weaker Section (EWS) scheme. On the encroachment of the Government lands in Chandigarh, Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh said that, 'teams have been made and each of its offices has been assigned 2-3 sectors'. 'They shall report on a weekly basis about any encroachment in their area,' he added. The Chandigarh DC has clarified that the demolition drive is not just about reclaiming land but sending a clear message that illegal encroachments will not be tolerated. 'The reclaimed land will now be utilized in accordance with planned urban development goals to benefit the larger community, ' Yadav added.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: Adarsh Colony demolished, UT reclaims 12 acres
The UT estate office demolished Adarsh Colony, an illegal settlement spread across Sectors 53 and 54, under its ongoing slum-free campaign on Thursday. It was the second last remaining slum in the city. The colony, which came up nearly two decades ago on approximately 12 acres of government land, housed around 1,000 shanties. The estimated value of the reclaimed land is ₹480 crore. The land, acquired by the Chandigarh Administration in 2002, is part of the city's master plan and will now be integrated into Sector 54 where residential plots are proposed to be developed. The demolition drive began at 6.30 am and continued until 10.30 pm. However, the operation was halted for nearly four hours after some occupants filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Wednesday. The hearing was scheduled for Thursday morning and after the court dismissed the petition, the drive resumed at 2.30 pm and concluded by 5.30 pm. To maintain law and order, around 1,000 police personnel were deployed at the site. Additionally, six ambulances, along with doctors and paramedical staff, were stationed to provide emergency medical support, if needed. Established in 2002, Adarsh Colony was home to labourers, hawkers, industrial workers, daily wagers, sanitation workers and domestic helpers, many of whom worked in the nearby furniture market. Now, only one slum area — Shahpur Colony in Sector 38 — is left in the UT. Spread over four acres, Shahpur Colony comprises about 300 shanties on encroached government land valued at ₹150 crore. Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, 'This drive is not just about reclaiming land, but about sending a clear message that encroachments will not be tolerated. The reclaimed land will now be used in line with planned urban development goals.' To curb future encroachments, the administration has assigned three to four sectors to each junior engineer, who is required to submit a weekly report on any encroachment activity in their respective areas. The administration has been working to make Chandigarh slum-free since the early 2000s. In 2006, it launched an ambitious rehabilitation initiative under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, earmarking 356 acres — nearly 20% of the city's 2,811 acres of net vacant land — for the construction of 25,728 flats intended to house 23,841 families from 18 unauthorised colonies. The identified families, comprising over one lakh residents, were required to pay a nominal monthly rent after relocation. However, delays and non-payment have resulted in significant outstanding dues. In two months, the UT has reclaimed 28 acres as it razed Janta Colony in Sector 25 on May 6, reclaiming around 10 acres worth ₹350 crore. The site is now being earmarked for a dispensary, primary school, community centre and shopping area. On April 24, over 1,000 makeshift structures were razed in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area, Phase 1. The colony had been encroaching on nearly six acres of prime government land worth ₹300 crore. In 2013, it razed Colony Number 5, followed by Colony Number 4 in 2022. Together, these two slums had occupied over 165 acres. Other demolished slums include Mazdoor Colony, Kuldeep Colony, Pandit Colony, Nehru Colony, Ambedkar Colony, Kajheri Colony and Madrasi Colony.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh admn all set to raze Adarsh Colony on June 19
Moving ahead with its slum-free campaign, the UT Estate Office is prepared to demolish Adarsh Colony in Sector 54 — one of the only two remaining slums in Chandigarh — on June 19. The colony, which came up nearly two decades ago on approximately six acres of government land, currently houses around 800 shanties behind the Furniture Market. The estimated value of the encroached land is ₹250 crore. Following this demolition, only one slum — Shahpur Colony in Sector 38 — will remain. This illegal settlement has about 300 shanties spread across four acres of government land, valued at ₹150 crore. Chandigarh deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav confirmed the action, stating, 'Adarsh Colony will be demolished on June 19, and notices have already been issued to the residents.' Regarding Shahpur Colony, he explained, 'The extent of government land encroached upon is comparatively smaller, with most of the dwellings built on private agricultural land. However, we plan to take legal opinion and proceed with demolition within a month.' When asked about steps to prevent future encroachments, Yadav said, 'Instructions have been issued to the estate team to regularly monitor vacant government land. If any encroachment is found, it must be cleared immediately.' Earlier, on May 6, the UT Estate Office had demolished Janta Colony in Sector 25, reclaiming around 10 acres of government land worth ₹350 crore. The reclaimed site has been earmarked for a dispensary, primary school, community centre and shopping area. Prior to that, on April 24, over 1,000 makeshift structures were razed in Sanjay Colony in Industrial Area, Phase 1. The colony had been encroaching on nearly six acres of prime government land. The UT administration has been working to make Chandigarh slum-free since the early 2000s. In 2006, it launched a rehabilitation initiative under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, earmarking 356 acres for the construction of 25,728 flats intended to house 23,841 families from 18 unauthorised colonies. The identified families, comprising over 1 lakh residents, are required to pay a nominal monthly rent after relocation. However, delays and non-payment have resulted in significant outstanding dues. Over the years, the administration has carried out multiple demolition drives. In 2013, it razed Colony Number 5, followed by Colony Number 4 in 2022. Together, these two slums had occupied over 165 acres of government land. Other demolished slums include Mazdoor Colony, Kuldeep Colony, Pandit Colony, Nehru Colony, Ambedkar Colony, Kajheri Colony, and Madrasi Colony.
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh's slum demolitions: Urban order or displacement dilemma?
When Chandigarh was envisioned by Le Corbusier and his team in the 1950s, it was meant to embody a vision of organised, humane living—free from the chaotic sprawl of older Indian cities. Yet seventy years later, the city's ongoing issues with informal settlements, and their recent demolition, reveal the persistent gap between idealistic planning and the messy, evolving realities of how cities actually grow. In recent weeks, Chandigarh witnessed a wave of demolitions targeting slum clusters, particularly in Sector 25 and parts of Dhanas. The drive, undertaken by local authorities following high court orders, displaced hundreds of families. The situation calls for an analytical look—at planning intentions, legal mandates, and the pathways Chandigarh must now consider if it wishes to remain both a model city and a compassionate one. The planning ethos & its frictions Chandigarh's original master plan was rooted in ideals of functionality, hierarchy of movement, and clear segregation of spaces based on land use and income group. The city included earmarked zones for economically weaker sections (EWS), with modestly designed homes meant to accommodate essential service providers—those whose labour was indispensable to the functioning of the city. However, over time, the influx of migrants far outpaced the capacities envisioned in the original blueprint. Many of these migrants arrived in search of construction jobs, domestic work, or informal trade opportunities but found formal housing either unaffordable or entirely unavailable. As a result, informal settlements gradually took shape along the city's margins, often occupying vacant parcels of government land. The emergence of these settlements highlighted a fundamental mismatch between Chandigarh's rigid, top-down planning model and the dynamic, improvisational nature of real human settlement. Despite repeated attempts at relocation and rehabilitation through schemes like the EWS Housing Plan and the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, the cycle of encroachment and eviction continued. The latest demolitions are not a new chapter, but rather a continuation—one shaped by decades of unresolved urban pressures. Demolitions: Legal frameworks vs human realities The recent eviction operations were carried out under directives from the Punjab and Haryana high court, which emphasised the need to clear unauthorised constructions from public lands. Authorities justified the action on the grounds of city aesthetics, public safety, and the right to planned development. From a legal standpoint, the demolitions are consistent with principles of planned urbanism and the safeguarding of government-owned land. Chandigarh's unique status as a Union Territory gives its administration direct accountability to the central government, increasing pressure to comply strictly with judicial directives. Yet from a human and sociological lens, the situation becomes far more layered. Many of those evicted had lived in these areas for years—sometimes decades—contributing to Chandigarh's labor force and social infrastructure. Voter ID cards, ration cards, and other official documentation had, in many cases, validated their presence and blurred the line between illegal occupation and de facto residence. While the administration stated that eligible residents would be considered for rehabilitation under existing welfare schemes, ground reports suggest that many were left homeless with little notice. The absence of immediate alternative housing or livelihood options raises difficult questions about the ethics and effectiveness of implementation—especially when legal justification exists but humane execution falters. A case for inclusive urbanism As Chandigarh continues to expand its infrastructure and economic ambitions, it must confront a deeper, more existential question: who gets to claim space in the 'City Beautiful'? There is an urgent need for policy frameworks that recognise informal urbanism not just as a problem to be erased, but as a reality to be understood and integrated. Planned cities may begin with geometry and order, but they endure through the lives that unfold within them. Future strategies might include in-situ upgrades, development of affordable rental housing, and participatory planning models that center the voices of the marginalised. Chandigarh now has a chance to evolve from blueprint to belonging—a shift that honours both its legacy and its future. (The writer is a Chandigarh-based architect & interior designer)
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh's last big slum, Janta Colony, to be razed today
As part of its slum-free campaign, the Chandigarh administration is all set to demolish the city's last big slum, Janta Colony in Sector 25, on Tuesday. This comes nearly two weeks after the administration demolished 1,000 makeshift structures in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area Phase 1, which were encroaching upon nearly six acres of prime land. On the other hand, the Janta Colony, which houses around 5,000 dwellers in approximately 2,500 shanties, has illegally occupied 10 acres of prime government land in Sector 25. This land, UT estate officials say, is valued at around ₹350 crore. Once cleared, a dispensary, primary school, community centre and a shopping area will come up here. The demolition drive will begin at 5 am on Tuesday in the presence of 1,500 police personnel and 1,500 officials from the municipal corporation and UT estate office. 'A notice was issued in advance to the residents of the area to vacate the place within a week. Most have complied,' said deputy commissioner-cum-UT estate officer Nishant Kumar Yadav. The DC further said that the Janta Colony is the last big slum in the city. After this, only two small slums -- Shahpur in Sector 38 and another one in Sector 54, remain. 'These too will be cleared soon,' Yadav added. City's slum-free campaign The UT administration has been working on making the city slum-free since the early 2000s. In 2006, it had come up with a comprehensive plan to replace slums with alternative housing. The ambitious plan involved earmarking 356 acres — nearly 20% of Chandigarh's 2,811 acres of net vacant land — for constructing rehabilitation flats. 'Under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, 2006, a total of 25,728 flats were planned for the rehabilitation of 23,841 families residing across 18 illegal colonies in the city. These families, comprising over one lakh individuals, were identified through a survey. While most had been living in Chandigarh for more than 10 years, some had been residents for over 20 years.' In return, relocated families were required to pay a nominal monthly rent. However, delayed or non-payment of rent has led to massive dues piling up over the years. In 2013, the administration razed Colony Number 5 and then Colony Number 4 in 2022. Together these slums had occupied over 165 acres of government land. Apart from this, the administration also demolished Mazdoor Colony, Kuldeep Colony, Pandit Colony, Nehru Colony, Ambedkar Colony, Kajheri Colony and Madrasi Colony over the years.
