Chandigarh: Trees in the way, 13% government houses not to get solar rooftop plants
Solar panels have also been installed in all major government office buildings in the city; Chandigarh has a total of 6,200 government houses; after completing installations on them, the administration has set a target to install solar power plants in all private buildings by December 2025
Even though the solar electrification drive for approximately 6,000 government houses has already covered over 5,000 of these, the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) has decided that solar power plants cannot be installed in 818 government houses (13%) due to the obstruction caused by trees.
Government houses in the city are located in Sectors 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, and 39. Over 80% of these have solar panels installed on their roofs. However, according to CREST, 550 government houses face various issues, such as inadequate meter load or non-allotment, preventing the installation of solar plants.
A senior CREST officer stated that the residents of government houses are more inclined towards installing solar power plants as compared to private homeowners. “We have already installed solar plants in over 5,000 government houses, but 818 of these have been excluded from this initiative due to the presence of lush green trees, which obstruct the installation on their roofs. As a result, solar power plants cannot be set up in these houses,” he said.
He further emphasised that no trees will be cut to facilitate installation, ensuring that greenery is preserved.
A solar power plant can only be installed in a building with a minimum electricity load of two kilowatts. Under the Surya Uday Yojana, a solar plant generates 300 units of electricity per month.
The installations are being carried out under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with the UT administration covering the costs and charging a post-installation fee from a user. Each plant has a lifespan of 25 years.
According to CREST, the administration currently charges a monthly user fee of ₹300 per kilowatt for solar plants installed in government houses. Solar panels have also been installed in all major government office buildings in the city. Chandigarh has a total of 6,200 government houses. After completing installations on them, the administration has set a target to install solar power plants in all private buildings by December 2025.
Under this programme, consumers can avail of a capital subsidy (CFA) of up to ₹78,000 for installations up to 3 kWp, leading to significant savings on electricity bills.
Currently, Chandigarh has an installed rooftop solar capacity of 69 MWp. This expansion aligns with the city’s leadership in EV adoption, achieving a 14.8% EV penetration rate between April and October 2024—the highest among all Indian states and Union Territories.