PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, CHANDIGARH ADMINISTRATION
PRESS NOTE
Chandigarh, June 16:- In view of the demands raised by various Resident Welfare Associations from time to time regarding need based changes in Marla type houses in the city, a meeting was held recently under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Administrator Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, UT on 5.6.2006 to discuss the issue.
Based upon the above, Chandigarh Administration has decided to allow relaxations in these frame control marla houses to provide relief to a large number of owners of such houses. Broadly, the demands of marla house owners included provision of cantilever projections upto 3’, allowing construction of additional covered area upto 150 sq. ft. in the rear courtyard as per discretion instead of government standard design and without payment of charges and permission to construct coffers/pergola upto 9” below the roof slab.
The demand for cantilever projections upto 3’-0” was first examined by the need based committee constituted under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Estate Officer, UT, in the year 2003. This committee included technical members such as an Architect and a Town Planner besides members of public including representatives of major political parties.
After technically examining the issue, the aforesaid Committee had unanimously recommended to allow projection/cantilever on the first and second floor of marla houses governed by frame/architectural control not exceeding 3 feet from the building line in the front courtyard and atleast 3 feet away from the common walls not exceeding half the width of the plot as per standard design. There should be no projection at the terrace level.
The Administration had earlier not acceded to this demand due to certain apprehensions and the issue was again examined by the Sub Group on Building Byelaws in 2005.
Now, after reconsideration, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to accept the recommendations of the need based committee in order to provide relief to marla house owners. Further, it has been felt that there is no need for a standard design as most of cantilevers have already been constructed.
The aforesaid need based Committee had also recommended to provide additional area upto 150 sq. ft. including the existing permissible green house in the rear courtyards of frame control/architectural control marla houses and in kanal houses governed by architectural controls subject to payment of charges for additional coverage. This demand had been accepted by Chandigarh Administration in year 2005 and accordingly the government standard design for additional covered area was prepared and made available to house owners. Subsequently, after the issue was re-examined by the Sub Group on Building Byelaws, the design was further amended to provide clear height of 9’-0” for this space.
However, this was resulting into practical difficulties to a large number of house owners who had already constructed additional rooms adjoining common walls with the neighbours or at locations, which are not as per standard design. The issue has been re-examined wherein it has been felt that additional rooms/covered area should be allowed in the rear courtyards of such houses at the discretion of the owner provided it does not adversely affects the light and ventilation to the existing dwelling unit/main house. Accordingly, it has been decided that additional covered area in the rear courtyard should be allowed provided it conforms to the provisions of the Rule 20 of the Building Rules, which stipulates the minimum area of the courtyard i.e. 3 meter x 3 meter for the provision of light and ventilation. This Rule states that any habitable room not abutting on either the front, rear or side open space shall abut on an interior open space whose minimum width in all directions shall be 3 meters in case of buildings not more than 10 meters in height. The plans for the above may be got sanctioned as per Rules.
It has also been decided to allow coffers/pergola upto 9” below the roof slab in all such frame control houses. These coffers have been provided mostly for aesthetic/ornamental reasons by some house owners, which were being objected to by the Estate Office, UT. With this decision taken by Administration, major demands of the marla house owners stand resolved.
Spokesperson of the Chandigarh Administration also informed that two other issues regarding raising of rear boundary wall upto a height of 5’-11½” and facility of a temporary car porch have already been allowed by the Administration.