Mayor steps up efforts to get funds for cash-strapped MC

Day after seeking more funds for the cash-strapped Municipal Corporation from the UT Administration, Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla today met Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma at the UT Civil Secretariat

During the meeting, which lasted for over half an hour, Babla told him that the fiscal situation of the Municipal Corporation would improve once the Administration gave it the due share in revenue. She sought a dedicated share in the revenue from the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) and a separate grant to meet expenses on the maintenance of 22 villages recently brought under the jurisdiction of the MC.

Babla said the MC was maintaining 1860 km of roads, accounting for nearly 60% of the city’s total road network. However, it does not get any specific portion of the annual revenue generated by the RLA through vehicle registrations and transfers.

Besides the urban infrastructure, the Mayor highlighted the financial challenges in maintaining basic amenities in 22 villages. Previously managed by Panchayat Samitis, these areas used to get annual maintenance grants, which have since been discontinued. She also appealed for a similar financial support to continue essential services such as road upkeep, drainage, water supply, sewerage systems and public parks.

The Mayor emphasised that all allocated funds would be used transparently and strictly for their intended purposes, ensuring enhanced civic services for both urban and rural residents of the city. She called on the Administration to take timely action in the larger public interest.

Order on free parking passes

The MC has discontinued free parking passes issued in green colour for all paid parking areas that fall under the MC jurisdiction. The order will be effective from May 15. All existing green parking pass holders have been requested to submit their documents proving their entitlement of free parking passes to the MC office, to facilitate the issuance of new passes, latest by May 2. These passes have been issued to the councillors, officers and other persons entitled by the MC.