Panchkula MC's beautification initiative raises eyebrows

Amit Bathla

Panchkula, February 17

Under the beautification initiative, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation has installed a digital billboard at the Housing Board entry point and several other spots across the city.

However, it has covered the already installed “I Love Panchkula” LED board for which the MC spent a lot of money. The perplexed act by the civic body has left locals with an obvious query on the wastage of money.

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said he would consult officials about what could be done to adjust the “I Love Panchkula” sign, which had been hidden after the installation of a digital billboard at the same spot.

Ever since he became the Mayor in January last year, BJP’s Kulbhushan Goyal has been an advocate of beautification projects in the city.

Coloured lights, digital billboards and “I Love Panchkula” LED boards have been put along roads, roundabouts, light points and across various sectors in order to make the city more beautiful.

A welcome gate near the Housing Board light point, on which the MC spent a sum of Rs25 lakh and opened for the public in July 2019, is now being “upgraded” with further expenditure. Under the beautification initiative, the MC also hired agencies to paint the back walls of houses along the roads and plant grass on the empty spaces along the road. The expenditure of both these projects runs in lakhs.

Meanwhile, some RWAs have been opposing the huge spending by the MC on such beautification projects, saying the civic body should rather address perennial civic issues by utilising the taxpayers’ money.

SK Nayar, president of the Citizens’ Welfare Association, said the installation of a digital board at the same spot defeats the idea behind installing “I Love Panchkula” LED board and spending a huge amount on it.

“The MC does spend hefty amount on beautification projects, but forgets to maintain them when they get older. Several colourful lights put up on poles and along the roads are non-functional now,” he said.

Mayorspeak

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said he would consult officials about what could be done to adjust the “I Love Panchkula” board, which had been hidden after the installation of a digital billboard at the same spot.