Punjab Govt allows conversion of SCF/SCO into commercial units
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 26
In a decision affecting hundreds of properties in civic bodies across the state, the Local Bodies Department has allowed conversion of shop-cum-dwelling units and shop-cum-office sites into commercial sites, subject to payment of fixed charges.
In orders issued on Wednesday, the department has come up with a window period of four months, till September 30, 2021. The relaxation will enable the department to legalise hundreds of such properties that were illegally used for commercial purposes, mainly in cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala, apart from the respective civic bodies earning crores of rupees as conversion charges.
The civic bodies had been classified in high and low potential zones for the purpose of charging the conversion fee. The municipal corporation and improvement trust areas of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Mohali and Amritsar have been put in the high potential zone, attracting conversion charges of Rs 5,500 per sq yard and the remaining civic bodies have been put in the low potential zone, attracting conversion charges of Rs 4,000 per sq yard. For a 100 sq yard SCF/SCO, the conversion charges would be between Rs 8 and Rs 10 lakh.
The relaxation has been given in all scheme areas of municipal corporations, improvement trusts, municipal councils and approved town planning schemes of private builders. Principal Secretary, Local Government, Ajoy Kumar Sinha said the relaxation had been allowed subject to availability of adequate parking space. It would discourage illegal use of SCFs and SCOs for commercial activity. Chairman of Ludhiana Improvement Trust Raman Balasubramanium said it was a long-pending demand. The relaxation would end unnecessary harassment of property owners.
