Demand survey for CHB scheme: 6,300 applications for 372 flats pave way for launch

Having received promising response to its 10-day demand survey, the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) is all set to roll out the General Housing Scheme in Sector 53, its first offering since 2016.

The survey was held to assess whether there is enough interest to proceed with the scheme, comprising 372 flats in three categories—192 three-bedroom HIG units, 100 two-bedroom MIG units and 80 two-bedroom EWS flats.

And by the end of the survey on Monday, as many as 6,300 applications had come in— almost 17 for one flat, reflecting a strong demand.

This is in stark contrast to only 178 applications for 492 flats when the scheme was first floated in 2018. The low response, primarily due to steep prices, had ultimately led to the scheme getting dropped.

This time around, the 3,500 applicants have deposited a fee of ₹10,000 for HIG and MIG units, and ₹5,000 for EWS unit confirming their interest, which will be adjusted in the earnest money deposit (EMD) when the scheme is launched.

In case, the applicant decides not to participate further after the scheme’s launch, the whole amount will be forfeited.

“Since the response is very good, we will go ahead with the scheme. A report will be presented to UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, following which the scheme brochure will be readied with all details, including final prices, eligibility and other requirements. We hope to unveil the scheme in two months,” said a senior CHB officer.

The demand survey was conducted on the directions of UT chief secretary Rajeev Verma, who is also the chairman of CHB, after board officers gave a presentation for the scheme’s revival on January 17.

As the board had last conducted a similar survey only in 2018, they were asked to conduct one afresh .

Scheme scrapped previously amid poor response

Notably, the scheme was first introduced in 2018, with the three-bedroom flat being offered for as high as ₹1.8 crore, two-bedroom flat for ₹1.5 crore and one-bedroom flat for ₹95 lakh.

Owing to the exorbitant rates, the response was lacklustre, forcing the board to scrap the scheme.

Struggling to justify its existence, the board revived the scheme in February 2023 with lower prices— ₹1.65 crore, ₹1.40 crore and ₹55 lakh, respectively, for three-bedroom, two-bedroom and two-bedroom EWS flats.

However, former UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit put the scheme on hold on August 3, 2023, citing there was no requirement for it. Consequently, CHB had cancelled the ₹200-crore tenders floated on August 2 for construction of 340 flats on nine acres.

But hopes for the scheme’s revival were rekindled after Purohit’s successor Gulab Chand Kataria, in November 2024, instructed CHB to submit an updated presentation, leading to the fresh demand survey.

Established in 1976, with the primary objective of providing reasonably priced and good quality housing in Chandigarh, CHB had last successfully rolled out a housing scheme in 2016, when it had offered 200 two-bedroom flats in Sector 51 for ₹69 lakh each.