Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has sent eviction notices to more than 100 allottees living in flats built under the Small Flat Scheme, who have not paid the license fee for years. The department has warned that the houses of those who do not respond and deposit the due amount within the stipulated time limit will be forcibly vacated. All these allottees owe the department lakhs of rupees.
This action of CHB is being taken under Section 51 (1) of the Haryana Housing Board Act, which is applicable in Chandigarh. According to officials, a 14-day show cause notice has been sent to every defaulter, asking them why eviction action should not be taken against them. The process of pasting this notice outside the flats of those who did not receive the notice has also started.
Minimum monthly installment 800 rupees
Chandigarh Housing Board had allotted about 20 thousand flats to poor families living in various slum colonies of the city under the Small Flat Scheme in the year 2006. Of these, 18,138 flats were given only under the Small Flat Scheme, while about 2,000 flats were allotted under the Affordable Rental Housing Scheme.
It was clearly written in the terms of allotment that all allottees would have to deposit a fixed installment every month, which started from a minimum of ₹ 800 and kept increasing over time. Also, there was a condition that these flats could neither be sold nor rented.
15 flats were also canceled in 2024
The board had also taken action in the year 2024 and canceled the license of 15 such flats, whose allottees had not made the payment. Despite the warning, when no response was received, the department issued a notice and ordered to vacate the house. Now once again this action is being taken due to the rapid increase in the number of defaulters.
The list of defaulters is regularly updated on the Board’s website and allottees are given the facility to make payments online or at contact centres. As per the rules, if a licensee does not pay the fee within the stipulated period despite being asked, the competent authority can cancel the allotment of his flat.
