Chandigarh, May 4: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday directed the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to review the rehabilitation request of 109 residents from Janta Colony in Sector 25, Chandigarh—currently the city’s last remaining slum—after they challenged an eviction notice issued by the Union Territory (UT) administration.
The bench comprising Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Alok Jain disposed of the petition, which contested a notice dated Thursday that ordered residents to vacate their homes “within a week.” The petitioners sought protection from eviction and the quashing of a February 25 order that denied them alternative housing “without affording an opportunity of being heard.”
“They issued a rejection without even meeting us,” the residents stated in court, arguing that the administration failed to properly evaluate their eligibility for relocation.
The residents asked the court to halt any demolition or eviction until a final decision on their plea was made. Their legal team named the UT administration, the deputy commissioner, and the Chandigarh Housing Board as respondents in the matter.
In their submission, the petitioners maintained that they had been living in Janta Colony for years with access to basic civic amenities such as water, electricity, and sewage. “We pay our bills and have valid documents—ration cards, Aadhaar, voter IDs, and driving licenses,” they argued, citing these as evidence of long-term residence.
They drew parallels to the demolition of Colony Number 4 in April 2022. In that case, despite initial rejections under the small flat scheme, authorities eventually allotted 290 flats to displaced residents. The petitioners argued that a similar approach should be taken in their case.
According to their counsel, the residents had been summoned by the office of the deputy commissioner-cum-estate officer to discuss their claims after the High Court had issued directions in related cases. However, they contended that no formal response had yet been issued on their representation.
“The residents of Janta Colony, Sector 25, have now been served notices for demolition of their constructed houses and temporary dwellings,” the petition stated.
Though the High Court has not passed any interim relief halting evictions, it has asked the CHB to seriously examine the residents’ representation.
Read more: CHANDIGARH’S JANATA COLONY TO BE DEMOLISHED
