The first day of the public hearings on the proposed amendments to the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 saw 12 stakeholders appearing before the screening committee constituted by the UT Administration to examine objections and suggestions received on the draft proposal.
The Administration will finalise the amendments to the master plan after the public hearings. The screening committee is headed by UT Engineering Secretary Prerna Puri.
Former architects and city residents deposed before the committee today and many of them raised strong opposition to the proposal permitting high-rise development in Chandigarh. They stated that vertical expansion could fundamentally alter the city’s planned urban character, place additional pressure on civic infrastructure and services and compromise the architectural heritage envisioned by French architect Le Corbusier.
Participants also expressed concern over the impact of high-rise structures on traffic, parking, water supply and other public utilities, stating that the city’s existing infrastructure was not designed to support large-scale vertical growth.
Residents from Dhanas village also attended the hearing and sought an increase in the floor area ratio (FAR) in their area. They contended that enhanced FAR norms would enable more efficient utilisation of available land and help address growing housing requirements.
According to officials, the representations heard on the opening day were largely related to residential and commercial categories covered under the proposed amendments.
The Administration had invited objections and suggestions from the public after placing the draft amendments and a subsequent addendum in the public domain last month. Hundreds of representations were received from residents, architects, industry bodies and other stakeholders.
The screening committee has been entrusted with scrutinising these submissions and conducting personal hearings for individuals and organisations wishing to present their views directly. Based on the feedback received, the committee will prepare its recommendations, which are expected to shape revisions to the draft proposals before they are finalised.
The hearings will continue until June 28, with subsequent sessions scheduled to cover industrial, public and periphery-related issues.
