MC seeks clarity on EWS quota in Manimajra housing project

Eight days after the General House approved the terms and conditions for the auction of over 7.5 acres for a housing project in Manimajra, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has sought a clarification regarding construction of houses for the economical weaker section (EWS).

In a letter to the Secretary, Local Government, UT, the MC Joint Commissioner sought to know the policy regarding construction, allotment, etc, of residential units for the EWS in Chandigarh.

The Joint Commissioner said the MC was in the process to auction residential plots for multi-storey group housing at pocket number 6 in Manimajra, and the zoning plan required accommodation for service population. The plan says that adequate accommodation shall be provided for domestic servants and other service populations of the EWS. The number of such dwelling units for domestic servants shall not be less than 15% of the main dwelling units and the minimum area has to be 30 square metres.

The MC official said it was requested that the latest policy regarding construction, upper cost limit, specifications and process of allotment, etc, of residential units for the EWS be arranged at the earliest.

Sources said the civic body also sought a clarification before the auction of the commercial land under the housing project. Earlier, a controversy had erupted over EWS houses in the Uppal Housing project after the auction was conducted.

While the UT has clarified that the auction of land for a housing project could be done on a freehold basis, it did not clarify regarding commercial properties inside the project.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said the MC had again taken up the issue with the Administration. She said she had been pursuing the matter as it was not possible to auction the land without such clarification.

The MC was eager to start the e-auction to overcome its financial crisis. The auction of the project is likely to generate over Rs 800 crores revenue for the cash-starved civic body.

Multi-storey flats will be constructed at the Manimajra site. Earlier in 2005, the MC had sold a residential site of 5.39 acres in Manimajra for a housing society on a freehold basis for Rs 108 crore. A year later, it sold a hotel site in Sector 35 for Rs 101.37 crore on a leasehold basis.

Chandigarh