Projects Gathering Dust: Disposal of 40 booths bridge too far for Chandigarh MC

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, November 8

Finding buyers for commercial properties in Sector 17 has seemingly remained a challenge for the Municipal Corporation, given that all 40 booths under the new bridge have been lying deserted for nearly a decade.

MC has been writing to UT Admn for years to auction sites on a freehold basis and lower rent/market rate. But that has not been done. Subhash Chawla, former Mayor

We are going to get UT admn go-ahead for offering new bridge sites on a freehold basis. These will soon be disposed of. Saurabh Joshi, Area councillor

Built in November 2013, the booths in the heart of the city could never be sold or rented out to any party.

Rs 20 crore Cost of project comprising new bridge & booths

No booths auctioned off despite multiple tenders

The corporation first tried to dispose these of on a leasehold basis, but failed miserably. Though the MC House recently gave its approval to offer the booths on a freehold basis, it is yet to get clearance from the UT Administration. And it seems things will continue to move at a snail’s pace.

Then Mayor Subhash Chawla, who had got the project inaugurated from then MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, blames the administration for the delay, while emphasising the need for a proper policy.

“Wherever the administration has to take responsibility, it is slow to act. The MC has been writing to the authorities for years to allow auction on a freehold basis and lower the rent/market rate. But that has not been done, leaving the building in disuse,” says the former city Congress president. He says the biggest responsibility lies with the Finance Secretary. A team of officers concerned from the administration and the MC should be formed to make recommendations after assessing the ground reality and ensure prompt implementation. The civic body has been facing losses running into crores of rupees each year. Had the authorities dispose these booths of, it would have instead generated revenue for the corporation, which has been facing shortage of funds for the past few years.

Area councillor Saurabh Joshi says: “We are soon going to get the go-ahead from the administration for offering these properties on a freehold basis. These will soon be disposed of.”

Besides, MC booths in Sector 17-22 subway are lying vacant too. The subway connects the Sector 17 bus stand with Sector 22 and is used mostly by college and school students.

The UT Administration had built 11 shops in 1990s and transferred these to the corporation around 1998-99. The booths were occupied for some time, but most of the shopkeepers gradually wrapped up their businesses. They blamed high market price and leaking roof during monsoon as the reasons for poor response.

Interestingly, the area outside these booths has been taken over by illegal vendors right under the nose of the authorities.

Councillor Joshi says: “I have proposed converting subway booths into a mobile market or an old book store market as a large number of students use the pathway daily. Else, like all other projects, it will continue to be yet another liability.”

Subway shops vacant too

• 9 of 11 MC booths in subway connecting Sector 17 bus stand with Sector 22 are also lying vacant. Built in 1990s, booths were transferred by UT Administration to MC in 1998-99
• All but two shopkeepers wound up their businesses, blaming high market price and leaking roof. The area outside these booths has now been taken over by illegal vendors