Bulldozers Roll Over Chandigarh’s Biggest Mall ‘Elante’: Authorities Demolish Illegal Structures for Building Violations

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Chandigarh: In a high-profile crackdown on building violations, the Chandigarh administration on Sunday morning carried out a demolition drive at the city’s most prominent commercial complex — Nexus Elante Mall, located in Industrial Area Phase-I. Acting on a show-cause notice issued earlier, officials razed unauthorized constructions spread over 35,040 square feet of area found in violation of approved building plans.

The demolition was conducted jointly by teams from the Municipal Administration and the SDM office, with a strong police presence to maintain law and order. The operation began early in the morning, taking the mall management by surprise and triggering panic among staff and shop owners.

Major Violations Uncovered

According to the inspection report, the mall management had converted approximately 22,000 sq. ft. of designated parking space into green landscaping, contrary to the sanctioned plan. In addition:

• An unauthorized open café and seating area of about 3,000 sq. ft. had been constructed adjacent to the Hyatt Regency wing.
• In the basement area, several unapproved facilities — including a staff mess, daycare center, and washrooms — were being operated over nearly 3,000 sq. ft.
• Additional irregularities included:
• A 500 sq. ft. iron-frame storage zone on the right side of the retail wing.
• An 850 sq. ft. elevated temporary iron structure behind Hyatt Regency.
• A 550 sq. ft. tensile fabric shed at the valet parking entrance.
• A 1,800 sq. ft. unauthorized retail store built under the name Anita Dongre after altering the approved layout of Hyatt Regency.
• Around 3,500 sq. ft. of parking area (P21) behind Hyatt converted into storage by erecting brick walls and temporary sheds.
• At Hamleys Store, an unauthorized slide connecting the 3rd and 2nd floors was installed without approval.
• In Basement-2, a 300 sq. ft. wooden storage zone was found in violation of safety and design norms.

Officials’ Statement

Administrative officials confirmed that none of these modifications had received prior approval from the competent authority. “These constructions are a clear breach of building bylaws and sanctioned drawings. The administration will continue strict action against any form of illegal construction in the city,” an official spokesperson stated.

The Elante Mall management has been asked to submit a detailed explanation in response to the notice. Authorities reiterated that no individual or corporate entity is above municipal regulations, and Chandigarh’s zero-tolerance policy toward unauthorized structures will be enforced rigorously in the future.