Property in Chandigarh

Let this be a new town, (a) symbolic of freedom unfettered by the traditions of the past an expression of the nations faith in the future." Indias first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, said this about the capital of Punjab and Haryana and a Union Territory in itself, Chandigarh. The first planned city in India after Independence, Chandigarh is known globally for its urban design and architecture. Planned by the famous French architect, Le Corbusier, the city is located at the foothills of the Shivaliks. It is known as one of the best experiments in urban planning and modern architecture in the 20th century in India.

Stretching over an area of 114 sq kms, the Union Territory of Chandigarh has 12 villages around it. The Chandigarh tri-city comprises Mohali and Panchkula along with the main city. Chandigarh has the highest forest cover in the country after Goa and Lakshadweep. The city is one of the cleanest in the country and has one of the highest per capita incomes. It is also the first smoke-free city in India. Chandigarh real estate has witnessed rapid development backed by quality infrastructure.

Infrastructure
Several infrastructural projects are in the offing in the city, including the Chandigarh Metro, expected to start operations from 2018. The project will be funded by the state governments of Haryana and Punjab, along with the Governments of India and Japan. Member of Parliament from the city and prominent actress, Kirron Kher, has proposed a film city in Sarangpur.

Chandigarh has wide roads and dedicated parking spaces all over the city. The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) bus network serves inter-state and local travel. The National Highways 21 and 22 pass through the city. The city has its own railway network and airport. A new international terminus has been developed on the Chandigarh runway and some parts of Ajitgarh.

Projects like Chandigarh Solar Project and Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Tech Park Phase-II are under-construction and are expected to be operational in the next few years. An international flight facility has been installed in the Chandigarh Airport since 2013. A 200-feet wide, 8-km long road is being constructed from New Chandigarh/UT boundary to the Kurali-Siswan Road. This road will act as major link among the Union Territory, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. At present, it has six lanes, with two service roads of 22.5 feet width being constructed on both sides of the main carriageway.

The electricity load projections for New Chandigarh for the next 25 years have been taken as 400 MW. To meet this load, two 220-KV grid sub-stations will be required. One of the existing 66-KV sub stations at Majra is being upgraded to 220-KV and in future another 220-KV sub-station will be established near village Thaska by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority.

Homes and living
The city has been conceived as a living organism with close parallelism of functions. The Administrative area in the north comprising the Secretariat, High Court and Assembly Chamber is the head; the Educational Centres in the north-east are limbs, the Chief Commercial and Civic Centre is the heart whereas the residential area are analogous to the trunk of the organism. The network of roads and footpaths through which the circulation of traffic and population takes place is the circulatory system. The spacious parks, green belts and other open spaces act as lungs of the city. Zirakpur, Dhakoli, Dera Bassi, VIP Road and Kharar are the key localities in Chandigarh. Players like DLF, Omaxe, Parsvnath, Unitech, etc., are active in the Chandigarh real estate.
The basic planning unit of the city are sectors. While the initial plan envisaged 47 sectors, there are around 63 sectors in the city now. Each sector spreads in an area of 246 acres and has been so planned that all the facilities like shopping centres, schools, hospitals, places of worship, recreational centres, play grounds, plenty of open spaces, etc., are available. The development of the third phase of sectors is fast coming up.

Mullanpur is a major realty and investment destination in Chandigarh. Several developers like Omaxe and DLF are coming up with projects in this area owing to its connectivity to prime locations in Chandigarh and the proposed Anandpur-Sahib Mohali 4-lane Expressway. Parts of the city will benefit from the metro network and this will directly boost realty markets and new launches in this entire zone. Registration of properties is done by the Sub-Registrar in Chandigarh.

Demographics
The city has a population of closed to one million with a literacy rate of 86.43 per cent, according to the 2011 census report. The sex ratio for Chandigarh stands at 818 women per 1,000 men. By 2021, the population of Chandigarh is projected to be around 1.9 million. Migration of population from Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh has contributed to an increase in population figure in Chandigarh. This is why prices of property in Chandigarh are steadily rising.

Governance
Chandigarh being directly ruled by the Union Government does not hold state elections. Only a single seat is contested for the General Elections held every five years. The city is governed by its civic administration, including the Municipal Corporation headed by the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Mayoral councilors are elected by the residents of the city.
Chandigarh is the hub of political and bureaucratic activities of the three neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pardesh. This is also the reason why high-income individuals from these states settle in Chandigarh. The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) take care of the water supply, drainage, sewerage and property tax related issues, while the Chandigarh Housing Board is responsible for the construction of the urban housing for the city.

MCC, through e-governance policy such as e-Sampark, e-Jan Sampark and Gram Sampark, is bridging the gap between the administration and the public. Now, owning a property in Chandigarh is just a click away.

Industry and employment
The economy of Chandigarh is witnessing a transformation from traditional manufacturing towards a knowledge-based economy. This is primarily due to policies of the Central government/UT Administration to promote the knowledge sector and tourism through a series of initiatives and programmes. The knowledge sector, especially information technology, IT-enabled services (ITES) and biotechnology, is gaining momentum in Chandigarh. The manufacturing sector includes pharmaceuticals, electronic goods, IT and other industrial products. The services sector has seen a growth over the recent years with a significant proportion of new jobs across a whole range of activities. Of late, this sector has emerged as the single-largest employer and will continue to grow.
There are several manufacturing, small and medium industries and factories in the city. Major sectors include machinery, paper manufacturing, alloys and basic metals. Other flourishing sectors include electronics, sanitary ware, food products, automobile components, pharmaceuticals and machine tools.

The city also has a thriving educational sector. Several trade promotion organisations, including FICCI and CII, have bases in Chandigarh. Companies like IBM, Quark, Airtel, Dell, Infosys and Tech Mahindra have a significant presence in the city. All these have tremendously affected the prices of property in Chandigarh.

Lifestyle
Sector 17 is the centre of activities in Chandigarh. The famous Neelam Theatre is situated here. The area comprises the Inter-State Bus Terminus, Parade Ground, District Courts, etc., on one hand, and vast business and shopping centres on the other.
Chandigarh offers several attractions in the form of a Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Rose Garden and Leisure Valley. The city has a famous sporting culture and some landmarks include the Sector 16 Stadium of the Haryana Cricket Association and Chandigarh Golf Club, along with numerous sporting complexes. The city is also home to several restaurants, shopping malls like Elante, North Country Mall, Mohali and the Sector 17 Market and other entertainment zones. The Botanical Garden is a major recreational spot in the city. Also, Pal Dhaba, located in Chandigarh'sbustling Sector 28 market, has acquired the reputation of being the market leader among the eateries that serve the palate of Chandigarh residents.