Chandigarh UT Administration to act tough against commercial building violations

Chandigarh, August 8
is bad news for thousands of violators of building bylaws in commercial buildings in the city. Cracking the whip against the violators, the UT Administration has decided to impose a hefty penalty of Rs 500 per square feet per month with a view to discouraging the misuse of commercial property.
The Rs 500-penalty clause, which has been inserted in the Chandigarh Estate (Amendment) Rules 2009, is the offshot of blatant building byelaws violations in commercial property, particularly in major commercial centres, including Sectors 17, 22, 34, 35 and Mani Majra, a senior official said today.
However, to give an opportunity to the building violators, the Estate Office would grant them a period of two months to either get the revised building planssanctioned or themselves demolish the violations. In case the owners do not remove the illegal additions and alterations within a period of two months, the buildings would be sealed and penalty at the rate of Rs 500 per square per month would be imposed, sources said.
The sources said a fresh survey of the additional building violations would soon be conducted to enforce the new provision effectively to check violations, which could adversely affect the structural safety of old multi-storeyed buildings in major commercial centres in the city.
Meanwhile, the trading community is up in arms against the “anti-trader” and “anti-people” penal clause.
“The demand for modifications in the business premises by the big corporates and the MNCs has made additions and alterations necessary. The hefty penalty will go against the trading community and general business environment in the city,” alleged JPS Kalra, spokesman of the Chandigarh Business Council.
Echoling similar sentiments, Charanjiv Singh, chairman of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, termed the penalty clause as “anti-business” aimed at harming traders’ business interests.With a view to boosting trade and commerce, the UT Administration should evolve a consensus with the traders’ bodies on the issue, he demanded.

Economics of Rs 500 penalty

For violations in 600 square feet, the violators would have to shell Rs 3 lakh per month (Rs 36 lakh per year). In certain cases, the penalty could exceed the cost of the commercial property over the years having adverse impact on the trade and industry at a time when Chandigarh is witnessing retail revolution.

Over 30,000 commercial properties in city

There are at least 30,000 commercial properties in the city and a substantial number of them have illegal additions and alterations. At least 1,500 cases of violations were pending with the Estate Office. However, the actual number of violators could be much more than that.