Cap on gatherings, Chandigarh residents in a fix over community centre bookings
Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 1
People who booked community centres for marriages or holding other events in advance are in a fix after the UT Administration capped the number of visitors.
Many of them want to cancel the bookings, but they are getting only 25 to 50 per cent refund.
People had booked community centres when there was no restriction on the number of people attending the event. But with restrictions in place now, the community centres are not feasible for them.
As per the Municipal Corporation, 50 per cent booking amount is refunded for cancellation request 15 days prior to the event, and 25 per cent between 7 to 14 days of the function.
“I had booked a community centre in Sector 50 for my son’s wedding next month. We had planned for about 250 persons, but the administration later on restricted the number of visitors to 50. I want to cancel the booking and want full refund, but officials are saying there is no guideline in this regard at present,” said Anil Gautam, a local resident.
Another resident, who had booked the community centre, said, “We are in a dilemma whether to cancel the booking or not… we won’t be getting the entire amount back due to the no full refund norm. We now want to keep it (function) a close affair at home.”
As per the recent guideline of the UT Administration, the gatherings have been limited to 50 persons only.
Last year, when curbs were imposed on community centres in view of the Covid situation, the Municipal Corporation had refunded the entire booking amount for April and May months. About Rs 80 lakh were returned to 493 applicants.
The booking amount for a community centre ranges between Rs 29,000 to 50,000 depending upon the category and area of the centre. There are total 42 community centres in the city.
