Chandigarh: Senior citizens object to structure on rotary

Amarjot Kaur

Chandigarh, February 6

A city-based senior citizens’ group has raised concerns over what it describes as “unauthorised and unapproved construction” by the Municipal Corporation at the Sector 27, 28, 29 and 30 roundabout.

In a letter to the Governor and the Adviser on January 30, RTI activist RK Garg, president of the Second Innings Association, stated that the construction was in contrast with the edict of Chandigarh and the heritage report that was incorporated in the Master Plan-2031, and it must be reviewed.

Meanwhile, MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra said the roundabout belonged to the MC. “A mandate given by the Government of India (GoI) states that in an ‘atmanirbhar ward’, we are to beautify and brand the chowk as an ‘atmanirbhar ward’. For the purpose, construction and demolition (C&D) waste has been used and it is in accordance with the GoI instructions for the Swachhata Survekshan,” she said.

In the letter, RK Garg wrote: “As per the edict of Chandigarh, the view of the Shivaliks is sacrosanct, hence no construction activity is taken up on roundabouts in the city. As per the heritage report of Chandigarh, which has been notified by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and incorporated in the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031, open spaces in the city are inviolable. Also, there is no precedent of such construction activity in the 70-year-old history of the city.”

The letter states that there is apparently no approval from either the Urban Planning Department of the UT or the MC House. “It is important to note that after a long legal process, the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 was prepared and notified. Unfortunately, the execution and monitoring committees, as instructed jointly by the MHA and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, have not been constituted,” stated the letter.