In a bid to tackle the growing issue of unauthorized commercial construction within residential areas of cities, Haryana is all set to formulate a policy for commercial construction in residential areas, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said. 

Addressing a Jan Samvad held at SA Jain College in Ambala city late evening on Sunday, Khattar said that acknowledging the rampant proliferation of commercial establishments and showrooms encroaching upon designated residential zones, the government is gearing up to unveil a comprehensive policy aimed at rectifying this situation.

“Under this policy, areas that have already been transformed into commercial spaces within residential zones will be officially designated as commercial areas,” said Khattar.

During the Samvad the Chief Minister also directed Municipal Corporation officers to issue notices to residential areas still undergoing commercialization, saying stricter actions will be taken against non-compliance.

During a Samvad, the Municipal Corporation's Superintendent Engineer, Vivek Gill, was questioned about an ongoing commercial construction project. However, he failed to give a satisfactory answer. Consequently, the Chief Minister promptly issued orders for Gill's transfer from his current position.

Khattar said that 450 colonies had recently received approval in the state, with an additional 400 colonies currently under review. Notably, 1800 colonies in the state remain unapproved.

To enhance security and traffic management, the Chief Minister announced plans to establish an Integrated Command and Control Center in Ambala city. The government will fully fund this initiative, modeled after similar centres in Gurugram and Karnal, he said. Besides this, he also directed the Deputy Commissioner to conduct a city-wide survey and ensure the installation of CCTV cameras in areas lacking surveillance. These cameras will be integrated into the Police Integrated Command and Control Centre, said Khattar.

He said grants for development projects would now be allocated based on city populations and a grant of Rs 2500 per person, determined by the population as of December 31 of the previous year, will be disbursed to cities.