Chandigarh, April 15 -- An enforcement drive against long-pending building violations in Chandigarh has exposed the deep-rooted political patronage that has allowed illegal constructions to thrive for over 30 years. Officials admitted that while the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has nearly 15,000 violations on government land and 7,000 cases of misuse in industrial and residential sectors, consistent action was repeatedly stalled by political interference.

"These are not new violations. Most cases date back nearly three decades. We have consistently issued notices, but political intervention prevented strict enforcement," a senior UT official said, adding that current notices are a culmination of a long-pending process rather than fresh...