Spacious three-bedroom flat for Rs 35 lakh

Chandigarh Administration has for the first time decided to come up with built-up flats for its employees. The main feature of this project would be flats at subsidised rates and would be available for all administration employees, and even those on deputation from Punjab, Haryana and Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Talking to Hindustan Times, a senior official of the UT Administration said the new scheme has been given a go ahead by the UT Administrator Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd.). He said the scheme would offer flats to the employees at low prices, which was first of its kind in city.
He added that all the employees would be eligible for any category of flat, prices of which range between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 35 lakh. The best option available for the employees would be that of a large three-bedroom flat, which would be available for Rs 35 lakh, as per the administration approval. The final nod for pricing of flats is awaited.
The Administration had recently also come up with a plan for self-sufficient habitat units in Hallomajra, which will cater to needs of people coming in due to the demand created by new projects undertaken by the Administration.
As per the information available, the nodal agency for the said project would be Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB). Sources said the flats could range between one bedroom to three bedroom and the employees will be able to get them as per their affordability. The mode of allotment of such houses would be decided at a later stage, informed officials.
About 20 acre of land in Sector 52 is being earmarked for the construction of houses of different categories for UT Employees. Planning will be started as soon as Chandigarh Administration makes the land available to CHB. Officials said such houses would also come up in sectors 56 and Hallomajra on an acre of five to 10 acres in different cases, depending on the space available.

Chandigarh Dolls Museum To Get A New Look

Dolls Museum at Bal Bhawan in sector 23 will soon get an international look as Chandigarh administration plans to upgrade the same to the standards of world renowned museums in three months. While the renovation has started it has also brought out several issues of concern, which are responsible for damage to the existing dolls in the museum.
A visit to the museum revealed the mini train from Germany that was repaired by CITCO in 2003 and later broke down was never repaired, the work of which has now been entrusted to the museum authorities.
The dolls are being treated now as they are likely to be further spoilt due to termite infection, which has already started damaging them. The museum authorities told Hindustan Times that proper lighting is also required for the dolls as many of them had been lying near the windows where there is direct sunlight, thus affecting them.
The Project Director Vidya Nand Singh, who is also the Director, Government Museum and Art Gallery while talking to Hindustan Times, has said some of the dolls need immediate restoration and conservation.
The museum will now have details about each of the country from where the dolls belong, along with a world map showing location of countries.
Known doll museums in south and south East Asia are being studied. These include the Shankar’s International dolls Museum, New Delhi, Dolls Museum, Jaipur, besides the
Yokohama Doll Museum, Yokohama, Japan, Bangkok Dolls Museum, and Enchanted World Doll Museum, Mitchell, South Dakota, USA.
Established in 1985 and located in Sector 23, the International Dolls Museum in Chandigarh houses dolls and puppets gathered from all over the world.
In International Dolls Museum there are 300 different kinds of dolls collected from countries like Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Russia and Korea, among others.
New features to be added in the International Dolls Museum, would include digitally designed children friendly captions, section labels, and Trans lights giving information about the dolls and renovation of showcases.
A small display window of rocks and minerals giving visual information about the precious and semiprecious stones and their various uses would also be included.
The administration plans special workshop corner for school children for preparing small replicas of Indian and International dolls, beside regular guided tours and free entry to school children, senior citizens and physically and mentally challenged visitors.
These will be supported with on the spot paintings, clay modelling and doll making competitions, workshops, exhibitions, puppet shows, lecture-cum-demonstrations and film shows to make popular the doll museum among children.
A new feature at the museum will be Brail captions for visually impaired children and audio-guides and info-kiosks for national and international visitors, while colourful fish aquarium at the centre of the gallery will be added.The museum authorities have also appealed to city residents for donating national and international dolls to the Dolls Museum.

Rock Garden

HDR bracelets
Originally uploaded by mashu mashu

The garden which attracts thousands of tourists today is crying for attention. The world famoust tourist destination is poorly maintained, and defaced by those visiting the place. What can you do to save it? Dont deface it. Its an important landmark in city...suggest what we can do to save the garden. What can the Chandigarh Administration do to save it from damage? Please send in your comments...

Sukhna Lake

This is

Exhibit No.29
Originally uploaded by Pradeep Mahajan

Sukhna At Dusk. The picture says it all, but what have we done to keep it as serene as it seems? When we go to the lake for a walk, how often we use the bins for throwing a small piece of paper? What has been done to ensure that people dont throw waste inside the lake? What is needed for desilting Sukhna? Is Chandigarh Administration doing enough to save it? Do post in your suggestions to save Sukhna....