Chandigarh units feel neglected

Excessive emphasis on IT-enabled services by the Chandigarh administration has resulted in traditional units located in the industrial area of Chandigarh getting neglected, feel entrepreneurs of the sector.

The entrepreneurs say the Chandigarh administration has also indicated that these units should move to adjoining areas because their byproducts were not eco-friendly. There are about 2,500 such units in the industrial areas of Chandigarh.

The Chamber of Chandigarh Industries has said the administration issued a notification on changes in land use in the industrial area in July according to which, a two-floor area ratio for commercial activities was permitted.

The chamber's secretary Naveen Manglani said the industrial units were earlier not allowed floor expansion.

However, now expansion for commercial activities was allowed at Rs 18,000 per square yard as conversion charges.

Transfer of property after conversion is also not permitted for industrial units. By-laws for the residential buildings have also been modified but no attention has been paid to the industrial areas.

According to Manglani, the industrial area was set up around 25 years back, and since then the space requirement for almost all the units has doubled.

Many units have moved to Himachal Pradesh because of the indifferent attitude of the Chandigarh administration.