First, not enough attention was paid initially to the rehabilitation of low-income migrants flocking to the city. All schemes undertaken by the UT Administration after 1965 to resettle this category of people by providing them with modern housing facilities encouraged more people to flock to the city. Incidentally, a large segment of the allottees are known to have sold off their tenements at a premium before again joining a queue for fresh allotments.

Experts feel that the only solution to this gigantic problem lies in accommodating only the eligible squatters without extending undue concessions to them. The remaining unauthorised squatters must be removed with an iron hand. Illegal squatters constitute nearly 50 per cent of the total number of squatters in the city. A strict vigil must be maintained to ensure that there are no more encroachments. Further, the cut-off date for determining their eligibility for rehabilitation schemes should not be shifted due to political pressure or other extraneous considerations.

Second, the Periphery Control Act, passed in 1952, covered all areas within a radius of 10 miles (16 km) to ensure that there was no unauthorised development in the vicinity of the city that would put pressure on the infrastructure and civic amenities of Chandigarh. The Act also provided for a green belt around the city.

But unmindful of this enactment, the Punjab Government began developing SAS Nagar in the early 1960s and Haryana followed suit by establishing the Panchkula township in the early ‘70s. As feared, besides adding to the traffic woes, both the townships have put extreme pressure on the civic amenities of Chandigarh. Above all, it has encouraged unauthorised private development all around the city in complete defiance of the Periphery Control Act.

It was to avoid precisely this kind of a situation that the Government of India constituted a Coordination Committee consisting of officers from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and the Centre in the early ‘70s. In September,1977, it proposed a Chandigarh Urban Complex after taking into account the existence of SAS Nagar and Panchkula by defining the land use of the region. This plan was prepared by the Technical Working Group of the committee headed by then Chief Architect of Chandigarh M.N. Sharma.

Sadly, nobody paid heed to this plan. The government is now under tremendous pressure to scrap the Periphery Control Act itself, which could be disastrous for the region. Chandigarh will never be able to bear the extra load of population, which will play havoc with the planning of the region.

The original concept of Chandigarh did not cater to such problems and no city, howsoever well-planned, can withstand violations of this magnitude. If this is allowed to continue, no regional plan will ever succeed.

Chandigarh has a character of its own which is unique and distinctive. It should not be reduced to the level of other cities, which are already suffering due to unplanned growth.

Land is a scarce commodity and should be used with great care and foresight. The UT Administration will soon have to go in for high-rise buildings, not only to conserve land but also to provide breathing space. All this requires immaculate planning and implementation of revised plans and building designs. And, above all, there should be strict enforcement of the building bylaws and zoning plans. It will be in the interest of Panchkula and SAS Nagar to provide for an adequate number of educational and health facilities for their residents.

The UT Administration has been making serious efforts to put the city back on the rails by removing encroachments and illegal colonies. The Administration is also paying attention to the much-neglected Capitol Complex and City Centre designed by Le Corbusier.

Silting of Sukhna Lake is another major problem which, if not addressed seriously, will result in the premature death of this famous waterbody. The only solution is the mechanical dredging of the lake combined with afforestation in its catchment areas. Yet another major problem being faced by Chandigarh is the poor maintenance of its roads, open spaces and landscape features. Citizens in most of the developed cities the world over do not expect maintenance of public places without paying their due share of taxes. Thus, all those who are not in favour of paying taxes do great injustice to our City Beautiful.

— Photos by Surkhab Shaukin