Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Residents Welfare Association and Others Vs The Union Territory of Chandigarh & Others dated 10/01/2023.

The Supreme Court (SC) asked the legislature, the executive and the policy makers at the centre and the state levels to make provisions for carrying out environmental impact assessment studies before permitting urban development. It is high time to take note of the damage to the environment on account of haphazard urban developments, the SC said, January 10, 2023 while prohibiting the apartmentalization/division of residential units in Phase I of Chandigarh.

The Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee was directed by the apex court to consider the redensification in Phase-I of the city of Chandigarh. Also, the Heritage Committee must take into consideration its own recommendations that the northern sectors of Chandigarh (Corbusian Chandigarh) should be preserved in their present form. After the Heritage Committee considers the issues, the Chandigarh Administration would consider amending the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031 and the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban), 2017 Rules insofar as they are applicable to Phase­I in accordance with the recommendations of the Heritage Committee.