UT Adviser rejects pact with 2 firms

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 4

Finding that proper procedure was not followed while allotting works for the beautification of entry points of the city, UT Adviser Parimal Rai has rejected a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with two real estate companies for the works in lieu of advertisement rights. Rai has asked the Engineering Department to float fresh tenders for the works.

Sources said the Engineering Department had signed an MoU with the two real estate firms recently without floating tenders and had allowed them to put up advertisement boards on both sides of the road for their projects in lieu of the beautification.

This was the first time that the Administration had roped in private companies to beautify the entry points of the city.

It was proposed in the MoU that the companies would bear all expenditure on the maintenance of the roads. Initially, two entry point were selected for the purpose — one from Tribune Chowk to the entry point at Zirakpur and the other on the Panchkula side from Transport Chowk to Dhillon Cinema.

The companies were given a contract for five years. The firms were to beautify areas on both sides of the roads and the roundabout, and were to plant ornamental trees.