Musical, stand-up comedy nights at 3-day Rose Festival in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, December 22

Besides a light and sound show, musical and stand-up comedy nights will be held for the first time during the Rose Festival, which will be held from February 17 to 19 at the Rose Garden in Sector 16 here.

The annual festival, which was today approved by the UT Administration, will have a light and sound show on all three days. However, there will be no chopper rides this time.

The MC House today approved funds of Rs 1 crore, especially for the light and sound show. A total estimated highest-ever expenditure of whopping Rs 2.19 crore was approved for the festival. Last year, Rs 87-lakh expenditure was approved for the fest.

Will try to make it different

This time, we will have a grand light and sound show along with other new additions. We will try to make it different than the regular fest to entertain people. —Anindita Mitra, Mc Commissioner

MC officials said they were not going to spend entire money from the civic body’s budget. In fact, the Centre has sanctioned some funds, while other amount would be earned from vendors who would be allotted spaces inside the garden.

The Tourism Department earlier used to hold musical night at the Leisure Valley, Sector 10. This time, the civic body has made its own arrangement and will organise the event at the Rose Garden.

“This time, we will have a grand light and sound show along with other new additions. We will try to make it different than the regular fest to entertain people,” said MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra.

Villages to have mechanised sweeping

The MC House today approved a geographic information system (GIS)-based mechanised and manual sweeping in Mani Majra and 13 villages, which were transferred to the corporation by the UT Administration recently. The MC will outsource the work. At present, sanitation services in ward numbers 1 to 18 are being performed by the civic body and that of ward number 19 to 35, except some part of ward number 20, had been outsourced. The work in southern sectors of the city, i.e. Sectors 31 to 63, including villages and slums, had been outsourced.

Parking tender

agenda deferred

The House, however, deferred the agenda for allotting tenders of parking lots. The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation had allotted 89 (32+57) paid parking spaces in Zone I and Zone II on a licence fee basis through two e-tenders, initially for three years in 2020. The three-year period of two zones is going to expire on January 31, 2023 and January 23, 2023, respectively. The agenda will be decided next month.

New tender for NFS kiosks

The MC House okayed a new tender for Night Food Street (NFS) in Sector 14. The kiosks were allotted to NVT Hospitality on the basis of highest bid. The firm had sought extension due to Covid-induced lockdown i.e. March 21, 2020 to August 31, 2020.

20% subsidy for zero waste events okayed

The House also approved a subsidy of 20 per cent in booking amount for those holding events/marriages at its community centres, jhanj ghar, dharamshalas and open spaces in line with the ‘zero waste’ policy. Events held without use of any kind of plastic or generating non-biodegradable trash fall in the ‘zero waste’ category. The subsidy will be transferred to the applicant’s bank account once MC officials inspect the venue after the event and find it as per the ‘zero waste’ norms.