Chandigarh Housing Board Clears Need-Based Changes, Lifts in All Dwelling Units

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has approved two long-pending measures that could change how its residents modify and access their homes. The Board has cleared a framework allowing need-based changes, including demolition and reconstruction, in independent dwelling units, while also approving the installation of lifts in CHB flats and other dwelling units.

The decisions were taken at a CHB Board of Directors meeting chaired by Chandigarh Chief Secretary and CHB chairman H Rajesh Prasad. The recommendations will now be submitted to the UT Administrator for final approval before implementation.

The measures are particularly relevant for owners of older CHB properties, many of whom have sought greater flexibility to adapt their homes to changing family requirements. The lift provision could also address accessibility concerns for elderly residents and people with mobility difficulties.

The latest decision comes amid wider changes in Chandigarh's housing and property regulations, including recent discussions around construction norms and property-related costs.

CHB independent houses to get more flexibility for reconstruction

The Board has approved the recommendation to treat CHB independent dwelling units at par with marla houses under the Chandigarh Building Rules, 2017.

This means eligible owners will be able to make alterations, demolish and reconstruct their houses, subject to the applicable building rules and obtaining the required approvals. The framework is intended to replace the earlier restrictions that tied many CHB houses closely to their original designs.

Nearly 2,500 independent CHB house owners are expected to benefit from the decision.

The issue has been pending for years. Residents have sought permission to modify facades, redesign internal spaces and undertake reconstruction as their housing requirements changed.

The approved framework provides a more uniform basis for considering such requests while retaining structural and building-safety requirements.

Existing construction could also receive protection

An important aspect of the decision concerns construction that has already been carried out under earlier CHB need-based change orders.

According to the recommendations approved by the Board, where existing construction exceeds the limits under the current Chandigarh Building Rules but was within the higher limits permitted under earlier CHB need-based change orders, such construction can be retained when the owner seeks permission for alteration.

The provision is significant because many CHB properties have undergone modifications over the years under different versions of the need-based change policy. The Board's decision attempts to bring these older cases within a clearer regulatory framework.

The Chandigarh Housing Board's own records already provide procedures and forms for approval or regularisation of additional construction and structural-stability certification.

Lifts approved across CHB dwelling units

The second major decision concerns lifts.

The CHB Board has approved the installation of lifts in all CHB flats and dwelling units, subject to the prescribed procedure. The decision could be particularly relevant for residents living on upper floors in older buildings.

Under the approved process, applications will be submitted by registered architects under the self-certification scheme. The CHB will process the application and communicate its decision within 30 days, provided the proposal meets the applicable requirements.

Until the required facility is incorporated into the Online Building Plan Approval System (OBPAS), applications can be submitted offline.

The area occupied by a lift or lift well will not be counted towards ground coverage or floor area ratio (FAR) for the applicable CHB flats and dwelling units. The exemption, however, will not apply to independent dwelling units.

For residents, the change also comes against the backdrop of Chandigarh's evolving housing regulations and the need for clearer rules governing residential properties.

Every resident's consent will not be mandatory

The new procedure also addresses a practical problem that can arise when several families share a common staircase or block.

The CHB has decided that consent from every resident will not be mandatory for an application to install a lift.

Residents who are willing to contribute towards installation and maintenance costs must be allowed to join the proposal and use the facility. If disputes arise among residents, they will be dealt with under Clause 15 of the Chandigarh Housing Board (Allotment, Management and Sale of Tenements) Regulations, 1979, with the block treated as a registered agency for this purpose.

This arrangement could make lift installation easier in blocks where some residents are willing to pay for the facility while others do not wish to participate.

At the same time, the policy does not remove the requirement to meet structural and building-safety standards.

Why the decision matters for older CHB properties

The changes come against the backdrop of a long-running dispute over alterations carried out by CHB allottees.

The Board had earlier been dealing with a large number of notices related to unauthorised or unapproved changes. The UT Administration had also kept thousands of demolition notices in abeyance while a committee examined how genuine need-based modifications could be addressed.

The committee constituted in May 2026 examined both the issue of need-based changes in independent houses and the installation of lifts in CHB dwelling units. Its recommendations formed the basis of the latest Board decisions.

The policy shift is therefore not simply about allowing homeowners to make more changes. It is also an attempt to create a defined approval mechanism for modifications while maintaining structural-safety requirements.

Rooftop solar also gets a push

The Board also considered rooftop solar photovoltaic installations under the PM Surya-Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.

It approved the installation of rooftop solar systems in CHB dwelling units under the scheme without requiring prior CHB approval or a no-objection certificate.

This could reduce one layer of administrative work for residents who want to install rooftop solar systems through the government-backed programme.

What CHB residents need to know now

The Board's approval does not mean residents can immediately begin reconstruction, alterations or lift installation without following the prescribed process.

The recommendations still have to be submitted to the UT Administrator for approval. Once the framework becomes operational, residents will need to follow the applicable building rules, submit the required plans and obtain the relevant clearances.

For lift applications, the self-certification route through registered architects is expected to form the main application mechanism, while structural safety remains an important requirement.

For independent houses, the key change is that owners will have greater flexibility to redesign, alter or reconstruct their properties within the applicable Chandigarh Building Rules.

For thousands of CHB residents, the significance of the decision lies in moving away from a system where older modifications could remain caught between changing policies and notices, towards a more clearly defined approval and regularisation framework.