No additional FAR (floor area ratio) would be allowed in the educational institutions in Chandigarh.
In its report on recommendations of the UT Master Plan, the UT Board of Inquiry and Hearing has stated that no additional FAR shall be allowed. However, additional land can be allotted to educational institutes. The Board’s recommendation has been accepted by the UT Administration.
The Board is also in agreement with the recommendation made in the draft Master Plan that any additional FAR and ground coverage to existing commercial centres should not be allowed without reviewing the architectural controls holistically to address the genuine modern-day business requirement and after taking prior approval of the heritage committee.
The Board, has also recommended that all references in the draft Master Plan in respect of the reintroduction of ‘Apartment Rules’ should be deleted and re-densification of any government residential/ institutional pocket in
Phase-I sectors should only be done with the prior approval of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC).
All references to redensification of government houses shall be substituted by reutilisation which shall be done in keeping with the low rise character of the city and with the approval of the CHCC, recommended the Board.
In order to maintain low rise character of the city, the public, government and commercial buildings should continue to observe the height-restrictions prescribed in the Architectural controls and
zoning regulations, suggested the Board.
The Board appreciated the need for underpasses on the busy junctions of the city but is not in favour of flyovers within the sectoral grid.
The Board has also suggested that pocket of IT Park phase III should be designated as an institutional pocket which can accommodate government uses. IT may also be allowed in case the land is available after meeting the government demand. However, UT Administration giving its comments has stated that the IT Park Phase-III shall be designated for IT industry.
The Board has proposed that the construction of multi-level parking should be allowed in all designated parking areas. However, the actual construction of a multi-level parking will depend on the availability of funds as well as the assessment of needs at the time of its construction.
UT Chief Architect Sumit Kaur said, “In all, 171 represenations were received by the Department of Urban Planning. It was noticed that some of the representationists have submitted their representations more than once. Finally, 116 representations were left after eliminating the duplicates.”
The Board of Inquiry has given recommendations accordingly after examining all the objections. Now, the final report of the Master Plan with the recommendations of the Administration will be presented before the members of the advisory council in a meeting to be held on June 19, she said.