Tata's ambitious housing project to see light of the day

Punjab and Haryana High Court vacates stay on the construction of the project

With the Punjab and Haryana High Court vacating stay on the construction of Tata Camelot Housing Project, the company's ambitious Rs 1800-crore housing project in the Kansal villages of SAS Nagar near Chandigarh may see light of the day.

The ambitious project was hanging in balance since November 2010, when it was challenged in the High Court.

The Tata Housing Project would be tricity's (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula) first skyscraper with 1,500-1,700 high-end flats spread across 53 acres and likely to attract an investment of Rs 1,800 crore. The project comprises of high-rise buildings, some up to 35 floors.

It is worth noting that earlier the High Court had stayed construction activity in the Sukhna Lake catchment project in May last year.

The decision came up on Wednesday in view of the earlier orders of the court issued on March 26, last year, when a division bench of the High Court had disposed of a PIL arising out of a suo moto action on the upcoming housing project in Kansal. Disposing of the petition, the court had directed Tata to obtain all the clearances, particularly those pertaining to the Wildlife Protection and Environment Protection Act.

Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Tata, argued and challenged the March 14, 2011, High Court order staying construction in the Lake's catchment area. Singhvi said the order was adversely affecting the housing project and claimed that Tata had already obtained all the necessary and mandatory clearances from the authorities concerned.

However, the company officials could not be contacted. He contended that the High Court in its March 26, 2012 order had already given a go-ahead to the housing project and had decided on all issues concerning it.

The project would be spread over 53 acres. Of this, 21.2 acres would be for a Member of Legislative Assembly society, 28.7 acres for the defence services self supporting society and the rest for the private party.