Chandigarh, April 6 -- The UT administration is all set to launch its much-awaited e-auction drive for the financial year 2026-27, with 21 residential, commercial and industrial properties slated to go under the hammer in the first phase of auctions, beginning May 15. On offer are 10 residential plots, seven commercial sites, and four industrial units, as per the approved calendar. In the residential segment, several prime properties will be offered in sought-after sectors. These include plots in Sector 15-B (249.375 sq yards), Sector 20 (7.5 marla), Sector 21 (1 kanal), Sector 23-C (198.33 sq yards), Sector 27-D (10 marla), Sector 28-D (above 2 kanal), Sector 30-A (493.75 sq yards), and Sector 37-A (338 sq yards). Additionally, smaller four marla plots in Sector 44-B are expected to attract individual buyers. The commercial category features a wide range of options, including constructed booths in Sector 22-C, booth sites in Sectors 24-D, 41-D and 45 C&D, as well as service booths in Sector 43-B. Premium "quiet office" spaces, measuring 240 sq yards each in Sector 40-B, will also be auctioned, catering to professionals and small office establishments seeking organised workspaces. On the industrial front, the administration will offer multiple plots across Industrial Area Phases 1, 2 and 3. These include sites measuring one kanal, two kanal and up to three kanal. Key offerings include plots in Phase 1 (1 and 2 kanal), Phase 2 (ranging from 10 marla to 2 kanal), and larger plots in Phase 3, including a three kanal site. A senior UT estate official said that the reserve prices for the properties are being worked out and will be aligned with the recently revised collector rates. "The reserve price is being finalised and will be fixed as per the updated collector rates," the official said. Last month, the UT administration had notified revised collector rates, effective April 1, with the increase ranging from 8% to 22% across residential, commercial and agricultural categories. The revision has raised the base value for property transactions, directly impacting stamp duty and registration charges, and is expected to influence bidding trends in the upcoming auctions. The second phase of the auction, scheduled to begin from August 15, 2026, will include additional residential plots in Sectors 32, 33, 35, 37 and 40. High-value commercial properties such as an SCO in Sector 24-D and a hotel site near the RBI building in Sector 17 will also be on offer, along with multiple booths and godowns. Industrial plots across all three phases will continue to feature prominently. Further auction rounds planned for November 2026 and February 2027 will offer a similar mix of residential, commercial and industrial properties in sectors including 15-C, 20, 23, 33, 44 and 46. Officials emphasised that all auctions will be conducted online to ensure transparency and wider participation. However, allotment of certain sites will remain subject to conditions such as receipt of no-encumbrance certificates (NECs), area verification and finalisation of collector rates for specific categories like quiet offices and hotel sites. In the e-auction held in September last year, the UT administration had invited bids for 13 residential sites on a freehold basis and seven commercial sites on a leasehold basis. A total of 288 applicants submitted 587 bids. Eventually, 13 residential and two commercial properties were successfully auctioned, generating revenue of Rs.168.85 crore against a reserve price of Rs.75.29 crore. Residential plots in Sectors 19-B, 33-C, 37-D, 40-A & D, 44-A & C, and 46-A witnessed intense competition, with several fetching more than double their reserve prices. The highest bid of Rs.33.41 crore was recorded for a 1,014 sq yard plot in Sector 33-C against a reserve price of Rs.14.96 crore, reflecting a 123% increase. Three 503 sq yard plots in Sector 19-B also saw bids as high as Rs.22.67 crore, Rs.22.22 crore and Rs.22.01 crore - up to 205% above the reserve price of Rs.7.42 crore. Among commercial properties, an SCO in Sector 8-C was auctioned for Rs.22.37 crore against a reserve price of Rs.14.59 crore....