You may have to pay double to hire a community centre

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

Residents may have to  pay more for booking any of the 43 community centres  across  the  city  as the Municipal  Corporation has  prepared a  proposal for  the revision  of the  fee, which will be placed  before the  general house of the  Municipal  Corporation at its  meeting tomorrow.

Sources  said as  per the agenda, the  MC had  proposed to increase the  booking rates  by  almost  100 per cent.

The hike has been proposed  on the  recommendations  of a four-member committee, constituted  by the MC  to revise the  rates and to frame guidelines for membership and the management.  The rates will be hiked 5 per cent annually on January 1 every year.

According to the proposal, an air-conditioned hall and lawns will  cost  Rs  20,000 from  the existing Rs 11,000  per day along with a security  of Rs 5,000.

A hall without an air conditioner and lawns will cost  Rs 10,000  per day  along with a refundable security. At present, the rate of a non-AC hall and lawns is Rs 5,000 per day.  

It has been proposed to charge an amount of Rs 4,000  for short bookings  (up to four hours) of AC halls along with  a refundable  security of Rs 1,000. 

Cleaning charges of Rs 1,000 will have to be deposited at the  time  of the booking. All above charges  will be half  for community centres  situated in villages   and colonies.   

Community centres in Sector 37, 38  to cost extra

The community  centres  in Sector 37 and 38 will cost  extra. Residents will have to pay Rs 30,000  per day  along with a refundable security  of Rs 10,000. The  booking  for a short  meeting will cost  Rs 5,000  along with a refundable security  of Rs  1,000. The  community centres  in these sectors have been constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore each with various  facilities  such as a gym.    

50 per cent rebate for employees, councillors    

The  agenda has proposed  50 per cent concession  in the fee for employees  and their  children. The  rebate will also   be  provided  to councillors and their children for booking community centres.   

No charges to be levied for medical camps

No charges  will  be levied for  holding medical  camps and blood donation   camps on the recommendation of the  Mayor  or  area councilor, marriage   of girls  belonging to families  below the  poverty line,  meetings   of RWAs  and kriya and bhog  ceremonies.