Overbridge spaces in Sec 17 up for grabs at 75% less rent
Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 9
Having failed to allot its office spaces at the overbridge in Sector 17 despite a number of attempts, the Municipal Corporation is now offering these on nearly 75 per cent lower monthly rent to government as well as corporate offices.
Long list of vacant properties
- Various properties of the MC, including 40 booths at the underbridge in Sector 17, a specialty hospital site and 20 SCFs in Mani Majra, 105 booths in Mauli Jagran, shops in the subway, Sector 17, and 26 booths at the AC fish and meat market in Sector 41, have been lying vacant owing to “strict norms”, causing a huge loss to the cash-starved MC.
The two spaces, measuring 15,166 sq ft each, which were built in 2013, have been lying vacant all these years as the civic body kept offering these on a higher rent as compared to the market rates.
Learning from its experience, the corporation has now invited expression of interest from government offices, corporations, banks, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and companies for these office spaces, which are located on the second and third floor at the overbridge. The spaces are being offered for five years on a monthly licence fee.
The office space area, comprising 15,166 sq ft each, is being offered at Rs 75 per sq ft monthly rent. The expression of interest was opened on Friday. Its closing date is February 28.
Area councillor Ravi Kant Sharma said, “Earlier, the MC was offering these on rates higher than those in the market. These were being offered for Rs 300-315 per sq ft as per the collector rates and other government norms, while the market rate is only Rs 60-70 per sq ft. As a result, we did not get any buyers. Later, we requested them to offer these at the market rates, which has been done now. We hope these will be grabbed and will fetch revenue to the corporation.”
Nominated councillor and chairman of the Beopar Mandal Charanjiv Singh said, “Similarly, 40 booths under these two spaces should be offered at nearly Rs 100 per sq ft on rent. These, too, have failed to find any buyers due to high rates. We will suggest this in the House.”
