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November
17, 2010
A TRIBUNE
INVESTIGATION-I
Chandigarh
skyline in danger
A 19-tower TATA Housing Project
backed by Punjab’s political bigwigs and soaring above Sukhna Lake
will dwarf Le Corbusier’s Capitol Complex and mar the City Beautiful
 Ruchika
M. Khanna
Chandigarh, November 16
Chandigarh’s beauty and its
heritage are at risk of getting lost amidst the financial gains that its
“protectors” are now looking at. With 129 politicians — MLAs and
MPs (both serving and former representatives) — from Punjab having
joined hands with a leading real estate development company to come up
with the tallest housing project in the state at Kansal village, right
in the backyard of Chandigarh, the city's skyline will be marred, its
view of the Shivaliks blocked and its green cover endangered.
November
18, 2010
A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION-II
How
the land was hawked
Punjab politicians picked up
land cheap and then used their clout to push the controversial TATA
housing project through
C handigarh,
November 17
The sordid tale of the plans to
build a 19 tower housing project of the Tatas, which would irreparably
damage Chandigarh’s pristine skyline as it soars above Sukhna Lake
(reported in our columns yesterday), owes its origin to a deal between
the Punjab MLAs Housing Society and Defence Services Society with the
Tata Housing Development Company.
November
19, 2010
A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION - III
This is How the rules were bent
 With top politicians as
members, the Punjab Government gave special treatment to the Tata
housing project, using loopholes to permit 19 towers apart from ensuring
two convenient approach roads from Chandigarh
Chandigarh, November 18
Having all top politicians in the
state on board for the Camelot project of the Tata Housing Development
Company (THDC) has apparently been a wonderful business proposition for
the real estate developer. With 129 peoples’s representatives (both
serving as well as former MLAs and MPs) as beneficiaries of the project,
the company has ensured that its USP of being in the backyard of the
lake with the Shivaliks forming its backdrop, yields a great response
from investors.
November
20, 2010
A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION - IV
See
who profited
The list of beneficiaries of
the Tata housing project reads like the who’s who of Punjab politics.
Here’s the complete list and what they did to get there
Chandigarh, November 19
 The biggest money spinner in the
region is the shrinking land in and around City Beautiful. Little wonder
then that all big names in the real estate sector in the country want to
get into this lucrative realty market, which in turn provides a perfect
opportunity to local real estate agents, land aggregators and
consolidators to make their millions by selling off land to the big
daddies of the realty world.
 Complete
list of Camelot beneficiaries
DGP
submits irregularities about project to High Court
Kansal
project meets rules: THDC
November
21, 2010
A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION-V
What the ‘highrisers’ Have to say
Under the controversial Tata housing project, 102 Punjab politicians will get
Rs 82.5 lakh plus a four-bedroom flat overlooking the Sukhna Lake from 19 towers that will mar Chandigarh’s skyline. This is what the people’s representatives have to say.
November
22, 2010
A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION - VI
‘City Beautiful will be ruined’
With Punjab politicians defending their involvement in the controversial Tata housing project even though it would mar Chandigarh’s skyline, eight prominent citizens speak out against it. The Tribune invites its readers to send in their views
 Chandigarh has not seen anything quite like the multi-tower Tata housing project coming up in the vicinity of its famed Capitol Complex. And hopefully never will.
On Saturday, The Tribune had spoken to as many as 42 of the 102 Punjab politicians, who were beneficiaries of the project and all, but a few of them, vociferously defended their investments in it.
An artist’s impression — photo montage not to scale
Punjab
politicians defend role in Tata project
Chandigarh, November 25
 Senior
politicians of the SAD, BJP and the Congress, who are also members of
The Punjabi Cooperative House Building Society, today convened a press
conference to defend their role in the controversial Tata housing
project that would result in skyscrapers being erected at Kansal village
in Mohali in the vicinity of Sukhna Lake and the Secretariat.
From left) Amrik Singh Dhillon, ex
MLA; Charanjit Singh Atwal, former deputy speaker, Lok Sabha; Balramji
Dass Tandon, ex-minister; Avtar S Brar, MLA, Faridkot; Satpal Gosain,
deputy speaker, Vidhan Sabha; and Tej Prakash Singh, MLA, address
mediapersons at Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
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