The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is planning to develop nearly 390 residential plots at the IT Park in Chandigarh, giving a fresh push to a project that had remained stalled for years. The plots will range in size from 7.5 marlas to 2 kanals, offering different options for people who want to build their own homes in the city.
Officials say the move comes after two earlier housing projects in the same area were scrapped due to environmental clearance issues. Instead of building large housing complexes, the administration has now decided to create individual plots that can be sold to the general public.
The earlier housing plan included a general housing scheme spread over 16.6 acres, with an estimated cost of about ₹643 crore. Another proposal involved building government flats on 6.73 acres of land. However, both projects failed to get environmental approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The ministry had raised concerns about the possible impact of high-rise buildings and construction activities near the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. Officials pointed out that such development could disturb migratory birds and increase pollution levels in the surrounding eco-sensitive zone.
After the projects were shelved, Gulab Chand Kataria, the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, asked the UT Chief Architect to explore the possibility of developing residential plots instead of a group housing scheme. The idea was to find a solution that would allow development while keeping environmental concerns in mind.
According to officials, the IT Park area has around 123 acres of land earmarked for development, which also includes plans for a hotel, hospital and school in the future. However, the housing part of the project had remained uncertain for years because of environmental approvals.
The land itself has a long history. In 2005, the Chandigarh Administration appointed the Chandigarh Housing Board as the nodal agency to develop the IT Habitat project. The board received 123.79 acres of land on a freehold basis in 2006.
Later, Parsvnath Developers Ltd was selected as the developer under a public-private partnership model. However, the company could not complete the project for several reasons. Eventually, the housing board took back possession of the land in February 2015.
The IT Park area lies close to the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, which is why development plans in this zone often require strict environmental scrutiny. In 2017, an eco-sensitive zone extending between 2 km and 2.75 km from the sanctuary boundary was officially notified.
Officials had earlier argued that the project site was about 1.25 km beyond the eco-sensitive zone, where construction is allowed. Despite this, the environmental ministry raised objections to large-scale construction in the area.
Now, the proposal to develop plots instead of high-rise housing is being seen as a practical alternative. If approved, the project could finally unlock development on land that has remained unused for years.
For homebuyers in Chandigarh, the announcement could be significant. The city rarely releases new residential plots because of limited land availability. As a result, any new housing opportunity usually attracts strong interest.
The proposed plots at the IT Park are expected to draw attention from both local residents and investors who are looking for property in one of the most planned cities in India.