Chandigarh okays axing of 352 trees to shift marble market
The marble market of Dhanas as well as the furniture market of Sector 53-54 will be shifted to a 44-acre site in Sector 56 where 200 one-kanal plots and 48 booths will come up.
The UT administration has approved felling of 352 fully grown trees to facilitate relocation of the Dhanas marble and furniture market to a 44-acre site in Sector 56-West. The administration has set a deadline of March 31 to complete the construction work after which the sites will be auctioned to relocate the two unauthorised markets — the marble market in Dhanas and the furniture market in Sectors 53 and 54.
A senior UT administration official said, “We have received approval for the removal of trees to develop the site. The municipal corporation will carry out the felling, and the deadline for completing the site has been set for March 31. The auction for both markets is expected to take place in April this year.”
He further mentioned that road and sewer works at the vacant land have already been completed and construction will be expedited once the trees are removed.
Initially, only traders from the Dhanas marble market were to be relocated to Sector 56. However, last month, Chandigarh deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav announced, “We have decided to allow furniture traders from Sectors 53 and 54 to participate in the auction for booths at the Sector 56 Bulk Material Market where the Dhanas marble market is being shifted.”
The decision follows appeals from furniture traders who sought an alternative site after receiving eviction notices for unauthorised occupation of government land. The auction will be open to all traders, regardless of their current location.
The Sector 56 site spans approximately 44 acres and includes 200 one-kanal plots and 48 booths. As per the development plan, essential infrastructure—including a dedicated road network, water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage, a power substation, streetlights and green spaces — will be established before the marble and furniture markets are shifted.
Once the relocation is complete, the two illegal markets will be demolished.
The decision to relocate the marble market follows a 2022 directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in response to a petition filed by the Marble Traders’ Association. At the time, the then SDM (central) had stated that the Dhanas market was operating in violation of The Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952.
