Amid monetary crunch and after practically a year-long halt, the Chandigarh Municipal Company (MC) is about to start street recarpeting works within the metropolis however solely in priority-based areas by spending quantities from property tax collections.
The Chandigarh Municipal Company, answerable for sustaining over 2,000 km of roads—together with V3, V4, V5, V6 roads, parking heaps, and lanes in sectors, rehabilitation colonies, and villages—is at the moment going through a monetary crunch resulting from a scarcity of assets. Whereas paperwork for main roadworks was accomplished months in the past, tenders are but to be opened because of the funding shortfall. (HT Picture)
Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar has directed officialsto determine pothole-ridden roads or these most in want of repairs and put together a precedence checklist primarily based on subject inspections. “Directions have been given to officials to identify roads requiring recarpeting on priority. A proper list will be made, and only after inspection, the work will start,” stated Kumar.
The civic physique, answerable for sustaining over 2,000 km of roads—together with V3, V4, V5, V6 roads, parking heaps, and lanes in sectors, rehabilitation colonies, and villages—is at the moment going through a monetary crunch resulting from a scarcity of assets. Whereas paperwork for main roadworks was accomplished months in the past, tenders are but to be opened because of the funding shortfall.
The street recarpeting work has remained suspended since Might 2024. Historically, the work is carried out throughout March-April and October-November—months thought of ultimate resulting from beneficial climate circumstances. With no work accomplished within the final cycle, officers concern lacking one other essential window if the funds should not secured quickly.
HT had highlighted the deteriorating state of metropolis roads, with practically 400 km requiring pressing repairs—most of them being V3 roads that divide sectors.
A senior MC official stated, “We will soon start the work by recarpeting the dividing road of Sector 44-45. The first quarter of the financial year usually brings some relief as property tax collections begin, and the money will be used for essential road repairs. Though we are left with no money to initiate developmental works from UT’s regular grant-in-aid, we plan to spend from property tax collection so that the recarpeting season is not wasted for repairing crucial roads.”
Final month, in a bid to handle the monetary disaster, the MC had proposed transferring 262 km of V3 roads beneath its jurisdiction to the UT administration for upkeep. Nevertheless, the proposal was rejected within the Home, regardless of help from BJP councillors and mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla. Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar had additionally backed the concept, noting that the roads might be reclaimed as soon as the MC’s monetary place improves.
Chandigarh mayor seeks share of RLA income for street maintenance
Metropolis mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla on Friday met chief secretary Rajeev Verma and sought a devoted share of income from the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) to take care of metropolis roads, and a separate grant to help the upkeep of twenty-two villages introduced beneath the MC’s jurisdiction.
The MC at the moment maintains roughly 2,000 km of roads, accounting for practically 60% of town’s complete street community. Nevertheless, regardless of its essential position, the company doesn’t obtain any particular portion of the ₹350 crore annual income generated by the RLA by car registrations and transfers.
In her proposal, Babla has urged that at the least 50% of this income be allotted to the company beneath Part 90(6)(b) of the Municipal Company Act, 1976, as prolonged to Chandigarh by the Punjab Municipal Company Regulation (Extension to Chandigarh) Act, 1994. This authorized provision empowers the administration to switch a share of taxes collected beneath the Punjab Motor Automobiles Taxation Act, 1924, to the company for sustaining roads, pavements, and public parking amenities.
Along with city infrastructure, the mayor highlighted the monetary challenges in sustaining the 22 villages which have just lately come beneath the company’s care. These areas, beforehand managed by panchayat samitis, used to obtain annual upkeep grants, which have since been discontinued. She appealed for the same monetary help to proceed the upkeep of important providers like roads, drainage methods, water provide, sewerage methods, and public parks.