Chandigarh's last big slum, Janta Colony, to be razed today
This comes nearly two weeks after the administration demolished 1,000 makeshift structures in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area Phase 1, which were encroaching upon nearly six acres of prime land.
On the other hand, the Janta Colony, which houses around 5,000 dwellers in approximately 2,500 shanties, has illegally occupied 10 acres of prime government land in Sector 25. This land, UT estate officials say, is valued at around ₹350 crore. Once cleared, a dispensary, primary school, community centre and a shopping area will come up here.
The demolition drive will begin at 5 am on Tuesday in the presence of 1,500 police personnel and 1,500 officials from the municipal corporation and UT estate office.
'A notice was issued in advance to the residents of the area to vacate the place within a week. Most have complied,' said deputy commissioner-cum-UT estate officer Nishant Kumar Yadav.
The DC further said that the Janta Colony is the last big slum in the city. After this, only two small slums -- Shahpur in Sector 38 and another one in Sector 54, remain. 'These too will be cleared soon,' Yadav added.
City's slum-free campaign
The UT administration has been working on making the city slum-free since the early 2000s. In 2006, it had come up with a comprehensive plan to replace slums with alternative housing. The ambitious plan involved earmarking 356 acres — nearly 20% of Chandigarh's 2,811 acres of net vacant land — for constructing rehabilitation flats. 'Under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, 2006, a total of 25,728 flats were planned for the rehabilitation of 23,841 families residing across 18 illegal colonies in the city. These families, comprising over one lakh individuals, were identified through a survey. While most had been living in Chandigarh for more than 10 years, some had been residents for over 20 years.' In return, relocated families were required to pay a nominal monthly rent. However, delayed or non-payment of rent has led to massive dues piling up over the years.
In 2013, the administration razed Colony Number 5 and then Colony Number 4 in 2022. Together these slums had occupied over 165 acres of government land. Apart from this, the administration also demolished Mazdoor Colony, Kuldeep Colony, Pandit Colony, Nehru Colony, Ambedkar Colony, Kajheri Colony and Madrasi Colony over the years.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
14 hours ago
- News18
Cheetahs Breeding Better Than Expected, Says Bhupender Yadav; Lists Climate Change Goals
The Union minister said the Cheetahs seem to have acclimatised in the local climatic conditions, hunting locally available prey & surviving in habitat shared with other carnivores India has demonstrated its commitment at the highest level for decoupling of economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, Bhupender Yadav has told CNN-News18. He also said 'Project Cheetah' has been 'very encouraging" so far. India had brought in 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa. 'It is a challenging project, but the indications so far have been very encouraging. We brought in 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa and now after almost three years of the project, we have 28 cheetahs on the Indian soil in Kuno National Park & Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Some of the cubs born here are about to become adults and doing very well in the wild," Yadav told CNN-News18 in a detailed interview on the project. The minister said that the Cheetahs seem to have acclimatised in the local climatic conditions, hunting locally available prey, surviving in habitat shared with other carnivores like leopards very well. 'I am happy to share that the cheetahs are breeding much better than expected. These developments, that too in such a short period, are unprecedented in other parts of the world. This is quite encouraging and a good indicator of success of the project," Yadav said. He added that over a period of almost three years, out of 20 translocated cheetahs, eight adult cheetahs have died due to various reasons 'which was within the expected limit in such kind of inter-continental, wild to wild translocation". 'Good news is that the birth rate is better than expected, which is highly satisfying," Yadav told CNN-NEWS18. India's Climate Change Goals Yadav said India had updated its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) and termed it a major decision. 'The decision on enhanced NDCs demonstrates India's commitment at the highest level for decoupling of economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions," the minister said. He said that in the larger scheme of things, the road ahead for India is premised on setting and meeting our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 'because they are at the heart of the Paris Agreement". 'India at COP26 held in Glasgow declared it would intensify its climate action," Yadav told CNN-News18. He explained how earlier, India submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to UNFCCC on October 2, 2015. The 2015 NDC comprised eight goals; three of these have quantitative targets up to 2030 namely, cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources to reach 40 per cent; reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent compared to 2005 levels and creation of additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover. Yadav said that the updated NDC reads, 'To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, including through a mass movement for 'LIFE'– 'Lifestyle for Environment' as a key to combating climate change". 'As per the updated NDC, India now stands committed to reduce Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030, from 2005 level and achieve about 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. India is committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through afforestation and increased forest cover by 2030," the minister told CNN-News18. Yadav said that as a party to UNFCCC, India is one of the few nations which has already submitted its LT-LEDS (Long Term Low Emission Development Strategy) and BUR (Biennial Update Report) 4 elaborating on its GHG inventory. 'Significantly, we are making the necessary preparations to submit our National Adaptation Plan (based on several rounds of consultation with all stakeholders in form of regional workshops) ahead of COP30 which is also seen as Adaptation COP," the Union minister said. Modi's Vision Yadav elaborated on the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047. 'This Viksit Bharat will be an inclusive Bharat and a Green Bharat. Over the last couple of years, the Union Budget has focused on building a Green Economy with programmes like Green Credit and Green Bonds and promoting Renewables. In the Union Budget 2025-26, solar energy got the highest allocation of Rs 26,549 crore, with a clear focus on rooftop solar with the PM Surya Ghar Yojana," the minister said. He added that the announcement for a Nuclear Mission with the aim for 100 GW of non-fossil-based energy by 2047 is a clear push towards harvesting clean energy beyond solar and building a sustainable economy. tags : bhupender yadav Cheetah Kuno National Park news18 specials view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 09, 2025, 09:29 IST News india Cheetahs Breeding Better Than Expected, Says Bhupender Yadav; Lists Climate Change Goals | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Deputy commissioner celebrates Rakhi with senior citizens, kids
Ludhiana: Deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain celebrated Rakhi at the Red Cross Home for Senior Citizens and the Children's Home, highlighting the festival's spirit of love and familial bonds. The event was heartfelt, with elderly women tying rakhis on the deputy commissioner's wrist. Sukhdev Kaur, an 86-year-old resident of Hoshiarpur who has been living at the home for nine years, grew teary as she tied the rakhi on the DC's wrist. She described the experience as unforgettable. Deputy commissioner Jain reciprocated by spending an hour engaging with the residents, listening to their stories, and distributing sweets. Later, he visited the children's home, where he, along with assistant commissioner (UT) Dr Pragati Rani, shared gifts and treats. The DC said that Rakhi holds significant cultural and emotional importance, reinforcing the values of unity, respect, and compassion. He added that the occasion serves as a reminder to nurture relationships and extend love and support to those who may not have close family nearby. He also invited the residents of Ludhiana to spend festivals here with senior citizens and children to further foster a sense of togetherness and spread happiness. MSID:: 123190796 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
500m long, 27m wide: New bridge on Sukhna Choe to beat the blues
1 2 Chandigarh: The city's third high-level bridge on the Sukhna Choe near Shastri Nagar, connecting Manimajra to Sector 26, will be 500 metre long and 27 metre wide. It will be four-laned, with 5m wide pedestrian pathways and dedicated cycle tracks as part of the bridge. The bridge will start on one side from near the T-junction, Sector 26, and on the other side near Shastri Nagar. The level of the bridge will be integrated with the adjacent roads to achieve the intent for which the bridge was constructed. Part of the project is the plan to upgrade the T-junction, which currently has a traffic light point. "The T-junction will be raised by 2 metres for smooth movement of traffic. A slip road will also be constructed towards the Transport Chowk side. A free lane will be provided for traffic coming from the Sector 26 side towards the Manimajra side," said a UT official. The existing bridge over the Sukhna Choe is at a lower level, a causeway, and often gets inundated during monsoons, making the road unsafe and inaccessible. This gravely impacts traffic movement. The bridge carries a very heavy traffic load. It is the main route to the Punjab and Haryana high court, Haryana Secretariat, Sukhna Lake, and other parts of the northern sectors for traffic coming from Panchkula, Manimajra, IT Park, and other locations, including inter-state traffic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here are the signs of Magnesium deficiency Undo It is also one of the major links to the city for traffic coming from Panchkula. Originally, there was only a single road, but with the traffic pressure increasing on the stretch over the years, it is now a six-lane road with cycle tracks on both sides. The proposal for a high-level bridge on Sukhna Choe at this site was first proposed in the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP-2031). The urgency to implement the CMP proposal came after major traffic disruptions caused by flooding in recent years and the increasing incidence of traffic snarls. During the monsoon of 2023, after waters from the Sukhna Lake were released into the Sukhna Choe, the culvert was flooded, and the fast-moving water caused major damage to it. This resulted in traffic being closed on the route for several days. The administration started planning the upgradation of the existing connectivity over the Sukhna Choe near Bapu Dham Colony. The UT engineering department was directed to undertake a feasibility study of the location. Under the study, the volume of traffic and its pattern were examined, and a consultant was hired to plan the bridge. The project was recently "conceptually" approved by the subcommittee of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
