Preserve Chandigarh’s original plan, says HC

Deepak.Yadav@timesofindia.comChandigarh: Strongly recommending that Chandigarh remain an administrative city, for which it was originally planned, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday restrained the construction of the Industrial Area–Sector 31 flyover. The court said the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP) 2031 stipulates that efforts should be made to retain the essence of the city’s original plan.In its detailed order, the court referred to the planned ring road on the periphery of Chandigarh, stating that in its absence, pressure on city roads has increased immensely.“Ring road in the periphery of Chandigarh town was prescribed, and it was stipulated in CMP-2031 that in the absence of ring roads, the city roads, which provide the shortest travel distance between towns, are likely to be put under extreme pressure to the detriment of the city’s environment and quality of life,” the court said.Currently, the city receives heavy traffic of commuters travelling to neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, besides other areas.Much of this traffic passes through National Highway 5, where the flyover at the Industrial Area–Sector 31 rotary was planned. The project was restrained by the high court on Friday. Sources said that if the ring road is constructed, much of this traffic will not enter the city.The ministry of road transport and highways has already initiated the process for the ring road project. The proposed road will provide direct, high-speed access to Zirakpur and Panchkula for traffic coming from Chandigarh, Ambala and Delhi. It will also enable faster movement towards Himachal Pradesh.Underlining the need to adhere to the master plan, the court noted that the first phase of the city (Sectors 1 to 30) occupies about 33.37% of the grid area. “CMP-2031 also stipulates that efforts should be made to retain the essence of the original plan of the city,” the court said.The court further pointed out that the first phase of the city was designed to be low-rise and green. It also observed that the extensive growth of Mohali and Panchkula is putting immense pressure on Chandigarh.The court order reads: “In 2008, the GMADA Regional Plan 2056 was notified, which, inter alia, declared the area north of Chandigarh, abutting the Capitol Complex created by Le Corbusier and consisting of village settlements Nayagaon and Kansal, as a nagar panchayat. In a similar manner, the Haryana government planned five settlements. Of these, Panchkula and Panchkula Extension-1 across the Ghaggar river stand fully developed. Panchkula Extension, Panchkula Extension-2, Shree Mata Mansa Devi Complex (MMDC), comprising 1,550 acres close to Sukhna Lake, and the Kalka-Pinjore Urban Complex were developed.”Imp Box:In 1966, the reorganisation of the state of Punjab took placeThe state was divided into the present states of Punjab and Haryana, with Chandigarh as the capital of bothThe Union Territory of Chandigarh was created over 70 sq km as the capital city, with 26 adjoining villages in 44 sq km“Out of 1,315 sq km extended periphery, 1,021 sq km of the periphery control area went to Punjab, 295 sq km to Haryana, and the remaining 114 sq km formed the UT of Chandigarh with the capital city for all its present and future needs,” the court said in its order.