Multi-level parking: Chandigarh MC may challenge court order

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, October 29

After the court orders in June to pay Rs 6.78 crore along with interest at the rate of 12% per annum to Gautam Builders, the firm that built the city’s first Rs 48-crore multi-level parking lot in Sector 17, the Municipal Corporation has planned to challenge the order.

The MC proposes, “Chetan Mittal, a senior advocate, be engaged to file an appeal against the decree on a lump sum fee of Rs 11 lakh and to defend the case on Rs 4 lakh (lump sum) and further to pay his fee on account of both cases in advance. The expenditure will be debited under the head ‘Legal Fee’ for the year 2023-24.” This agenda proposed by the legal branch will be placed before the Finance and Contract Committee for consideration and approval.

Citing “anomalies” in the construction of the parking lot, the MC had withheld the security deposit of Rs 2.06 crore, final payment of Rs 1.70 crore and payment against other construction material-related costs, totalling Rs 5.39 crore.

While withholding the amount, the civic body had stated that it would use the money to carry out repairs and fix the structural weaknesses of the project. The move had followed a probe by the UT Vigilance Department. The department had found “construction anomalies and structural weaknesses” in the parking lot. However, the court of Additional District Judge (Commercial Courts) Anshu Shukla had said the defendants (corporation) had provided the specifications, designs and drawings for the construction of the building, and it was constructed by the plaintiff (firm) on the basis of the same.

In May 2016, the much-awaited multi-level parking lot was inaugurated by the then UT administrator, Kaptan Singh Solanki. However, the parking has been in news for leaking roof and most part of it remaining vacant.

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