Dharamsala civic body to outsource community centre, parking lot

The Municipal Corporation (MC) Dharamsala is planning to outsource its community hall and parking facility located in the heart of the town at Kotwali market. The community hall is used by town residents and political parties for hosting events given its central location and a parking facility attached with it.

Sources said the MC was planning to outsource the community centre as it was finding it difficult to maintain the centre due to the shortage of staff.

Dharamsala MC Mayor Neenu Sharma, when contacted, confirmed that the process had been started to outsource the community centre and parking facility. She said the MC did not have requisite staff to maintain the community centre. “As municipal council we had about 180 beldars (class IV employees). Now, as a corporation we have about 30 beldars. Most beldars have retired and no fresh recruitments are being done,” she added.

The Mayor said they had kept certain conditions for outsourcing the community centre and parking facility. Any private person who takes over the community centre would not be allowed to increase the charges. The charges for hiring the parking facility, along with the community centre, shall remain the same, she said.

The sources said the MC would hold an open auction for outsourcing the community centre and parking facility on the condition that the contractor will provide services at the government rates fixed by the corporation.

At present, the MC has deployed four beldars, who work in two shifts, to look after the building. Many local businessmen have been parking their vehicles in the MC parking for years, but they are not paying the prescribed fee. This is also affecting the income of the corporation.

The MC functionaries believe that by giving the centre on contract, its better management can be ensured. This will also give a fixed income to the corporation.

The MC has been struggling with the shortage of staff for a long time. It even does not even an Executive Engineer due to which development works are getting affected. The Executive Engineer of HIMUDA has been given additional charge to look after the works of the MC. As the staff strength in the office is on the lower side, the employees are being given multiple tasks, which is affecting their functioning.

The Dharamsala MC has written to the state government demanding additional staff, but to no avail.