The estate office of the Chandigarh administration has ordered taking over of 15 hotels in the city following violations of norms, mainly misusing of basements. Most of the penalized hotels are in Sector 35.

As per a report in TOI, the orders have been passed after the hotel owners were given six years time to either stop misusing the premises or get is converted officially by paying fee. According to information available, six years ago following an inspection of the premises, the estate officials had found that all the hotel owners had been using basement as a banquet hall instead of godown, whereas as per the terms and conditions of the allotment letter/lease deed, the site could be used only for lodging-cum-restaurant.

'We had given a number of opportunities to the owners to stop misusing the premises, but no serious efforts were made in this direction till date," said a senior official. Following the reluctant attitude of the violators, the administration had no other option but to take over these sites. They have cancelled the lease of these sites with the immediate effect and ordered forfeiture of 10 per cent of the total amount of consideration money, interest and other dues be calculated as per above quoted rule. The authorities have also ordered imposition of penalty on the account of misuse and will recover the same from the violators.