Open House: Should maintenance of neighbourhood parks be given to private firms?

The decision to entrust the maintenance of parks to private companies is a welcome step. However, there should be clear instructions and directions on how billboards could be put up. The size and manner of the boards should be specified.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Model finds favour with Mayor

I am in favour of giving the maintenance of parks to private agencies in lieu of display of advertisements in areas specified by the MC. It is a good model considering no cost on us. We are already successfully implementing it at roundabouts. — Anup Gupta, Chandigarh Mayor

Pvt company must maintain aesthetics

Park maintenance includes all the work necessary to keep a public park area safe, clean and beautiful. This can be done effectively by private companies to promote their business. There should be certain riders on the size and shape of billboards and banners and maintaining the aesthetics.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

QUESTION for next week

Criminals found residing in hotels in Mohali district and Chandigarh raise concerns about the tricity becoming a safe haven for them. What measures should the police adopt to prevent criminals from using the tricity as a hideout.

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com

Horticulture wing can look after parks

The condition of neighbourhood parks in the city has deteriorated in the past decade or so. Parks in southern sectors have been totally ignored by the MC. While walking on broken, uneven tracks, senior citizens get injured. Office-bearers of most RWAs in the city have political connections. The MC horticulture wing should look after these parks. Private agencies will create a mess of advertisements.

Avtar Singh, Chandigarh

Let’s not make parks profit points

Let’s green Chandigarh, not commercialise it. Instead of ad-plastered parks, empower local residents. Gamify park maintenance with resident rewards, sponsor eco-friendly activities and let parks be vibrant community hubs, not profit points.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

Engage volunteers, locals for work

The maintenance of parks can be done by local communities or volunteers, who would then receive incentives such as tax benefits, recognition or free access to certain facilities. This would promote civic engagement, environmental awareness and social cohesion among residents.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Idea will also help prevent park misuse

Nearby residents encroach on parks for their own benefit as already reported by this newspaper. It is not known why there is no action against such people. Giving the park maintenance job to private parties seems to be a good idea. The MC will save on the money paid to RWAs for the work. The saved money can be used for maintenance of roads. Private firms will maintain these parks well and prevent their misuse.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Hire contractors for different jobs

MC should maintain parks by hiring contractors for various jobs and should not allow display of advertisements. It will not involve any other agency and the work will be done professionally. Secondly, parks should be without flower beds as people pluck flowers off and on and more manpower is needed to maintain these.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Make sure there are checks and balances

Suggestions and feedback from RWAs must be introduced in the contract. The size and shape of advertisements to be displayed should be specified. The lack of checks and controls on contractors can damage parks. The parks should not meet the same fate as paid parking lots.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Win-win deal for all stakeholders

Engaging private firms would ensure parks thrive while citizens get well-maintained green spaces. The firms in turn would benefit from community visibility. It is a win-win deal for all stakeholders, including the firm, MC and residents.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

No need to rope in private players

RWAs maintain parks at low cost and there is no need to hire private firms for the work. The MC also has its own team of gardeners, who could be assigned parks for their maintenance. Hoardings will ruin the beauty of parks.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

Invite bidding from RWAs, private firms

The MC had started assigning the park maintenance work to RWAs on payment basis a few years ago. The rates were increased several times without conducting an audit of the RWA accounts to verify the use of funds. The MC should invite competitive bidding from private players and RWAs for the work and audit their accounts as well. The work should be allotted on competitive rates.

SL Soni, Chandigarh

Good idea, MC can expect better results

Handing over maintenance of parks to private firms on the pattern of rotaries in the city is a good proposal. These private agencies will perform better than RWAs. The MC should go ahead with it.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Merits, demerits vary from case to case

The proposal to privatise the maintenance of neighborhood parks has both potential benefits and risks. Private firms may be able to provide high-quality maintenance services more efficiently. Also, there is a risk that they may prioritise profit over quality or be less responsive to community needs. The decision should be made on a case-to-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances of each park.

Prithvee Yakhmi, Chandigarh

Park upkeep MC’s prime responsibility

Maintaining neighbourhood parks within municipal limits is the prime responsibility of the civic body. Handing over the job to RWA/private firms is like running away from responsibility, as residents pay annual property tax to the MC for upkeep of their area, water supply and electricity.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

Proposal to benefit both firms, residents

By allowing firms to display advertisements in exchange for maintenance of parks, the MC can preserve these green spaces, creating a win-win situation for residents and businesses.

Vijay Katyal

MC should collect advertisement fee

Parks should be given to private firms for maintenance on a payment basis. Advertisements can be displayed by any company or educational institution keeping in mind the beauty and greenery of the parks. Revenue from advertisements should go to the MC and it could be utilised on maintaining park infrastructure.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Inspect firm’s work every fortnight

RWAs remain divided on political or personal considerations, which affect the timely and proper maintenance of parks. If implemented, the idea will save funds also. The MC should check the maintenance of all parks every fortnight. Inspecting teams should submit written reports. Team members should be changed every quarter so that they do not connive with the private firm.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

No harm in work going into pvt hands

Parks not maintained by RWAs can be given to private firms in lieu of providing them space to put up advertisements. At the same time, the authorities should make sure the firm does no harm to Le Corbusier’s legacy.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Ink well-drafted agreement with firm

After clamour over poor upkeep of neighbourhood parks by the MC, a consensus was reached between the civic body and RWAs to allot the work to resident welfare bodies. It worked well initially, but was occasionally marred with blame games later. In view of this, the idea of handing over park maintenance to private companies is certainly laudable. For the purpose, a well-drafted contract with stringent terms and conditions should be inked.

SS Arora, Mohali

Parks under civic body in bad shape

The city has around 1,800 parks, of which 600 are being maintained by RWAs. The MC doesn’t have proper staff to maintain parks, due to which these places paint a picture of neglect. Open air gym, children’s play equipment and lights are not properly maintained, dustbins are not cleaned and garbage remains scattered in most parks. So, the MC should go ahead with awarding park maintenance contracts to private players at the earliest.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Community interests should be priority

Apparently, there is a risk that profit-driven motives may lead to commercial interests getting priority over community needs. Advertisements could generate revenue to fund upkeep, leading to improved amenities, but it could alter the serene environment of parks, affecting the quality of recreational spaces. It should be ensured that private firms awarded contracts adhere to high standards of maintenance and not compromise with community interests.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

Will help get rid of ugly sights

It will prove to be a very good idea. Such a solution will ensure environment-friendly, pleasant experience for citizens and help the MC save money and effort gone in maintenance of parks. It will help residents get rid of ugly sights in the greens and also enhance the city’s beauty.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Better approach RWA of area first

Instead of looking for private firms, the MC should first approach the RWAs of the area concerned for the work as such bodies are already doing the job well in parks allotted to them. In fact, the payment to be given to private ones should be handed over to RWAs so that they can make the optimum use of this.

Savita Kuthiala

Supervision must for idea to work

Handing over the maintenance of parks to private firms will work as politics come into play when RWAs are allotted the work as groupism mar these associations. However, proper supervision is a must if the job is given to private agencies.

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

Will help resolve issues plaguing parks

Maintenance of parks is a challenging task. RWAs are unable to do it, may be due to paucity of time, funds or volunteers. In such a situation, using the services of private agencies in lieu of displaying advertisements or on a payment basis sounds good considering that some of these gardens have lost the grass cover, flowers and plants, many are infested with stray dogs or littered with poop, several having broken infrastructure and some poorly lit.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Government duty to maintain parks

RWAs have not been paying attention to sanitation in the parks. The government’s lackadaisical approach has affected the beauty of parks. Stringent action should be taken against those littering the parks. In a nutshell, it is the government’s duty to maintain this symbol of beauty.

Neha Gupta

Specify space, place for display of ads

Either the civic body should maintain the parks on its own by hiring more gardeners and workers or hand it over to private companies on the pattern of roundabouts. Private companies should be allowed to use limited space for displaying advertisements and that too at specified places.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Corporate can easily fund maintenance

Big companies have a dedicated fund under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative in which they have to spend on activities beneficial to society. Giving the job to corporate is a good idea rather than making a hue and cry over funds. The same model should be adopted in the two neighbouring cities also.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Convert few of them into parking lots

Since there are many parks in each sector, some of those not being maintained properly can be converted into community parking lots. The number of cars in the city has increased and many vehicles are parked on the road.

Antra Rakheja, Chandigarh

Private firms can do job professionally

The maintenance of parks can be given to private firms on a payment basis. These firms can take care of the beauty of the parks. Private firms are professional and can prepare a proper schedule on watering the plants, maintaining swings, boundaries, etc.

Garima, Mohali

Ask firms to only display own ads

Seeing the pitiable condition of the neighborhood parks, it is advisable to hand over their maintenance to private firms on a condition that they will display advertisements of their own firm in limited space.

KK Mohan

Ensure complaint redress system

The MC may engage private firms for the purpose. However, there should be mutual understanding between the firm and the area RWA so that the contract serves the purpose. There should be timely resolution of complaints related to the work.

Gurnam Singh Rathore, Chandigarh

MC running away from its responsibility

The MC proposal is altogether untenable. The civic body already had its fingers burnt in the paid parking contract. Similarly, neighbourhood parks maintained by RWAs are shabby even as a huge sum of taxpayers’ money is being paid to them. The MC should not run away from its constitutional responsibility and maintain parks by deploying its own staff.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Get work overseen by professionals

The MC decision is seemingly wise but It must be ensured that the displaying of hoardings does not eclipse the natural beauty and basic culture of parks. A team comprising professionals from the horticulture department and experts on floriculture and landscaping be formed and authorised to guide and monitor the work of the private company.

Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chd