Chandigarh: Allaying concerns over the proposed changes to the Master Plan-2031, UT chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad said on Monday that higher density and floor area ratio (FAR) would not mean a free-for-all for construction or lead to haphazard growth.Speaking to TOI, Prasad said the amendments provided a broad planning framework, while their implementation would be taken up area by area, backed by technical studies and an assessment of infrastructure gaps.“The amendments are only broader guidelines. When specific enforcement happens, the requisite studies, including assessment of the infrastructure gaps, will be made,” he said.The assurance assumes significance as Chandigarh embarks on one of its biggest planning shifts — moving beyond its traditional low-rise, plotted-development model to allow more group housing, higher FAR and vertical development in Phase-III and selected peripheral areas.Prasad said the transition would be gradual, with the administration examining the planning, technical and legal aspects before allowing specific provisions to take effect.“It is a step-by-step process in which all aspects are being examined, including the due process of bringing in these changes,” he said.Vikas Marg to be first major testThe administration has already set the planning process in motion for transit-oriented development (TOD) along Vikas Marg, with a consultant being appointed for the project.Similar studies will be undertaken for other pockets opened up for more intensive development. Their findings will determine development norms and specific guidelines for each area, rather than applying a uniform density across the city.“Parallel to the planning process, the administration has already initiated the process of appointing a consultant for the Vikas Marg transit-oriented development (TOD). Consultants will be appointed for other pockets in the city and, based on these studies, specific guidelines for specific pockets will be formulated,” Prasad said.In peripheral village pockets where vacant land is available, development will have to conform to the applicable building bye-laws, he added.Growth push beyond Phase-IThe amendments, formulated under the Centre’s Deregulation 1.0 and 2.0 initiatives, seek to unlock Chandigarh’s limited land for housing and economic activity while retaining the low-rise character of its original Phase-I sectors.The sharper development push is aimed at vacant pockets of Phase-II, Phase-III and designated peripheral areas, where planned group housing and higher-density development are proposed.The changes could significantly expand the city’s housing stock and open up land for commercial and industrial activity. However, citizens raised concerns about whether Chandigarh’s existing infrastructure — including roads, parking, water supply, sewerage and power — would be able to absorb the additional load, particularly in areas already facing pressure.The screening committee, which examined stakeholder feedback on the amendments, also highlighted the need for corresponding infrastructure development. The committee headed by the deputy commissioner, which originally proposed the changes, emphasised that infrastructure augmentation must accompany additional FAR, particularly in industrial areas.BOX: What Master Plan amendments proposeMore group housing: Plotted housing would largely give way to planned group housing in vacant Phase-II pockets, Phase-III sectors and designated peripheral areas.Four-storey housing: Four-storey group housing is proposed in several Phase-III areas.Higher buildings: High-rise development is proposed in several land pockets.Higher FAR: FAR in Industrial Areas Phase-I and II is proposed to rise substantially.Mixed land use: Industrial Area Phase-III is proposed for mixed land use.More mixed-use corridors: Mixed-land use corridors along Vikas Marg and the Sector 43 Sub-City Centre are proposed to be expanded.
