Community centres in Sector 37, 38: 3 years on, 800 residents neither get membership nor fee refund

Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, March 21

Around 800 area residents, who paid membership fee of Sector 37 and 38 community centres in the city three years ago, have neither been made members nor paid back the money they had deposited.

It was promised that the centres will be run on the format of club membership. However, nothing has happened even after three years, while people have been left wondering about the fate of their membership. In lieu of membership, the residents were to be provided facilities like using rooftop restaurant, gym and library at both the centres. However, the facilities are lying locked.

Residents said the facilities never opened even as Rs5 crore each was spent on building the centres. “We again sent our representation to the Chief Engineer to open these facilities (gym, library) or refund the fee. He told us that the agenda regarding revival of the community centres was coming in the MC House meeting,” said Pankaj Gupta, president, Sector 38 (West) RWA.

The MC took Rs1,000 as annual membership fee from residents while senior citizens paid Rs500 each. About 500 residents of Sector 38 and 300 of Sector 37 paid fee for the facilities.

“Why do the officers spend crores on such facilities if they have no plan to operate them? Such exercise is nothing but waste of money. When these ultra-modern centres were supposed to run on the club-membership format, why hasn’t it been done in three years,” lamented Gupta.

On its part, the civic body is now planning to run all community centres/Janj Ghar on membership basis. Different kind of membership cards will be issued to people depending on the size and gradation of the centre.

‘Will ask councillors to reform panels’

I will ask officers and all new councillors to reconstitute committees in their respective wards and make residents members in the community centres, including the ones in Sector 37 and 38. — Sarabjit Kaur, city Mayor