Open House: AAP has secured the Chandigarh mayor's post for the first time. What are your expectations from the new mayor?

We expect the new Mayor to work towards the development and maintenance of the city. This time around, the MC should employ people on the basis of merit instead of because of personal relations. The new mayor should manage finances in such a way that city residents are not burdened with taxes, and the new MC team should focus on developing a good work ethic and following a zero-corruption policy.

Bubby Soin

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Fulfil duties towards residents

The previous mayors of the city enjoyed their tenure by touring on public funds and forgetting their duties towards the residents. The new Mayor needs to deal with the parking woes of the city, improve traffic control, and work to ensure 24x7 availability of drinking water.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Improve ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ rank

The top priority for the new Mayor should be to improve the Tricity ranking in the ‘Swatch Bharat Abhiyan’. He should also focus on waste management in the city, the removal of the mountain of waste at Dadu Majra, the stray dog and cattle menace, improvement in traffic management, primary health care and maintenance of law and order in the city, among other things. With the recent announcement of the metro project for the Tricity, it should be high on the priority list as well.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

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Save youth from falling prey to drugs

Segregation of dry and wet waste and disposal of the waste should be top priorities of the new Mayor. Decongestion of the main roads during peak traffic hours needs to be addressed. The youth of the city falling prey to drug peddlers also needs attention. The problem of people drinking in public spaces needs to be stopped and street vendors need separate spaces to operate in the city so that they do not inconvenience residents.

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

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Provide free electricity

The new Mayor needs to regularise the jobs of labour and regular employees of the Municipal Corporation. They should also provide free electricity to residents, as the Punjab Government is doing, and as per their election agenda, they need to start free water supply in Chandigarh. Heaps of solid waste at Dadu Majra need to be dealt with, and they should manage finances in such a way that no new taxes are levied in the Municipal Corporation Budget.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

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Focus on development of infrastructure

The new Mayor should prioritise citizen engagement through innovative platforms, such as mobile phone applications, for feedback and suggestions. Implementing eco-friendly initiatives such as promoting urban gardening and waste management projects may enhance the city’s sustainability. Advocating for transparent governance and actively involving citizens in decision-making processes would foster trust and accountability. Prioritise infrastructure development with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

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Improve civic amenities in city

The new Mayor should focus on improving the civic amenities and infrastructure of the city, such as sanitation, water supply, roads, parks and public transport. He should ensure transparency and accountability in the MC and curb any misuse of funds or power by the officials. He should promote participatory governance and involve citizens and civil society in the decision-making and implementation of various schemes and projects. He should work in coordination and cooperation with the other parties and stakeholders to ensure the smooth functioning and development of the city.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

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Foster vibrant cultural scene in city

The new Mayor faces the challenge of maintaining Chandigarh’s unique legacy as a planned city while fostering innovation for the future. Residents expect him to champion sustainable development, prioritising green spaces, waste management and efficient public transport. Ensuring inclusive growth through equitable access to education, healthcare and affordable housing is crucial. Additionally, the Mayor should foster a vibrant cultural scene that celebrates the city’s heritage while attracting diverse talent and businesses.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

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Work towards traffic decongestion

Chandigarh residents expect a visionary leader who fosters sustainable growth and inclusive development. They yearn for a cleaner, greener city with improved waste management and public transport. Traffic decongestion and enhanced pedestrian and cycling infrastructure are crucial. Empowering youth through skill development and fostering cultural vibrancy are vital. The new Mayor must prioritise transparency and citizen engagement to create a resilient and thriving Chandigarh for all.

Gurpreet Kaur, Mohali

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Work towards sustainable growth

The new Mayor of Chandigarh must champion a vision of sustainable growth, balancing development with preserving the city’s unique character. Residents expect improved infrastructure, including robust public transport, efficient waste management and green spaces. Empowering residents through transparent governance and community engagement is crucial. Additionally, fostering inclusivity by addressing the concerns of diverse groups and ensuring equitable access to opportunities is paramount.

Sahibpreet Singh, Mohali

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Do not make big promises

The new Mayor needs to focus on doing work, instead of making promises that he cannot fulfil. The city needs smart parking to manage traffic in the city. A waste management plant should be another key area to focus on. Mechanised sweeping at Mani Majra would also touch the chords of the populace. Complete transparency in expenditure is likely to win the hearts and minds of Chandigarh denizens.

Brigadier Advitya Madan, chandigarh

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Focus on stray dog menace

The new Mayor should take steps to improve the education level and medical facilities in government schools and dispensaries. The menace of stray dogs and vehicle parking must be solved as soon as possible. In case there is a need for more funds, the property tax may be enhanced and hoardings at some charges may be permitted in public parks.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Maintain decorum in MC meetings

The new Mayor should focus on maintaining peace and decorum during MC meetings. He should work conjointly with councillors of all parties for the betterment of the city. Parking, traffic congestion, cattle menace, road safety and security are the issues that needs immediate attention.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Make councillors accountable

The new Mayor needs to keep his councillors in check to ensure they do not waste money on the pretext of study tours. Every penny spent by MC must be fairly accounted for because it is the residents’ hard-earned money.

MR Bhateja, Naya Gaon

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Focus on sanitation

The new Mayor should focus on development and cleanliness in the city. He should focus on sanitation, parking issue, maintenance of parks in the city, development and revivals of tourist places, among other things.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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Focus on quality of development work

The new Mayor should improve solid management, make adequate parking, manage street vendors, weed out corruption, and hold staff executing work accountable. His priority should be to get roads repaired and leave no scope for compromise on the quality of work. Mobile phone applications should be launched so that residents may send feedback and suggestions to the MC.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauds (retd), chandigarh

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Multifaceted approach needed

The biggest challenge that the new Mayor will have to face is waste management in the city. Traffic congestion is also no less important. He needs to adopt a multifaceted approach to deal with these major problems in the city.

Kuldip Singh, Mohali

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Focus on smart city solutions

The new Mayor should be transparent and ensure that city residents are apprised of every decision that the MC makes. Improvement of public services should be a priority, such as waste management, water supply, cleanliness and infrastructure maintenance. So the Mayor must establish mechanisms for regular interaction with residents and advocate for policies that promote social inclusion and address the needs of marginalised communities.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar.

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Develop public transport infra

Public transport infrastructure development should be an area of concern. Traffic management is another serious problem that needs to be addressed by the new team. Traffic chaos on city roads, particularly during peak hours, is a result of the lack of a healthy public transport system. The MC also needs to focus on sanitation in the city, as residents are irked by heaps of garbage on the roadside.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Clear Dadu Majra garbage dump

The new Mayor needs to focus on the management of the garbage dump at Dadu Majra. The goal of the tenure of the new mayor should be to improve sanitation in the city.

Sunny Dhaliwal, Chandigarh

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Improve sewerage system in city

Sanitation in the city should be the top priority for the new mayor. Another area of focus should be the improvement of roads and sewerage systems in the city. Stray dog and cattle menaces need to be dealt with immediately, and the proposed budget should be used with honesty and in a wise manner.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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Improve night shelters in city

The collection and segregation of garbage should be the focus of the new Mayor. He should also focus on the completion of the ongoing development projects in the city and work towards curbing the stray dog and cattle menace. Night shelters need to be improved and basic facilities should be provided to the occupants of the shelters.

SS Arora, Mohali

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Work for public interest

The new Mayor needs to ditch political rivalries and work with councillors of all parties in the public interest. There needs to be a mobile application for city residents so that they can send their problems to the MC through it. The new mayor should listen to all the grievances and work towards resolutions for residents’ problems.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

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Do not start freebie culture

The new Mayor should try to solve problems in the city, such as traffic, parking and streamlining the water supply. Chandigarh is a revenue surplus UT; please do not resort to the freebie culture of free water or electricity. This will destroy the smoothness of various services and facilities given to residents by the Chandigarh administration.

RS Punia, Chandigarh

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Provide free water supply to residents

As promised prior to the election, the new Mayor should work towards providing free water supplies to city residents. He should also work towards traffic decongestion, which would happen by solving the issue of parking in the city. He should also work with councillors to create a pollution-free environment in the city, develop a planned parking system, lay roads without potholes and develop a good water disposal system.

Adish Sood, Amloh

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Ensure transparency to city residents

The new Mayor needs to focus on the maintenance of roads, proper sanitation, traffic management, and deploying police forces in all sectors of the city. This would also ensure that ambulances do not get stuck in traffic. The MC should release a mobile phone application to inform city residents of all MC work.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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Enhance beauty of Chandigarh

The new Mayor should ensure that the city administration is corruption-free and enforce law and order in the city. It is also expected that the new mayor will come up with some new ideas for making Chandigarh cleaner and more beautiful.

Garima, Mohali

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Open electric wires need attention

The city needs proper solid garbage management, apart from the repair of the broken tiles and bricks on the pavements across the city. Open electrical wires at different places need immediate attention. The threat of stray dogs in public parks and residential areas needs to be dealt with. The other immediate priorities of the new Mayor include improvement in law and order in the city, an increase in modes of public transport, piped gas connections, the upkeep of the parks, and the removal of encroachments on open spaces by unregistered vendors, among others.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Focus on mental health of residents

City residents need to focus on their mental health in the modern world. The new Mayor needs to organise campaigns with healthcare professionals to help residents in the city take charge of their mental health.

Vikram Sharma, Chandigarh

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Question for next week

Incidents of crime targeting senior citizens have been reported across the tricity. What steps should the police take to ensure the safety and security of the elderly?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]