Decisions on key policies, projects pending: Chandigarh admn mulls virtual meeting of administrator’s advisory council

With several key policy matters and projects awaiting the approval of the UT administrator’s advisory council, the administration is now mulling calling a virtual

With several key policy matters and projects awaiting the approval of the UT administrator’s advisory council, the administration is now mulling calling a virtual meeting of the council.

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It has been more than a year since the advisory council met after its reconstitution in August last year. The UT administration in March this year had planned a meeting in April first week, which didn’t materialise owing to the pandemic.

The council is responsible for advising the administration on development issues and policy matters affecting the city. In addition to all senior UT officials, the council includes the city’s prominent residents, including the current and former members of parliament, mayor, resident and business associations’ representatives, etc. It also has ten standing committees, which are subject-matter related sub-groups headed by a chairman.

UT adviser Manoj Parida said, “In the wake of the pandemic, we may hold the meeting through video conference. The UT administrator will take the final decision on the date of the meeting.”

Parking policy in limbo

Even as the parking problem remains acute in the city, the long-pending parking policy, which is seen as the panacea for the crisis, couldn’t see the light of the day as the administration put off its implementation pending the approval of the council.

“It is a contentious issue, particularly some of its content like imposing congestion charges, charging outstation vehicles, increasing parking charges, stilt parking in houses, using service lanes for parking, turning vacant plots in industrial areas into parking lots, using neighbourhood educational campuses for parking, etc. (The policy) is urgently needed but, with the council meeting not being held, has been put on the back burner,” said a senior UT official.

Flyover project also stuck

The much-hyped and controversial project, the Tribune flyover, is also stuck as the UT adviser’s report, which is to be submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, is pending the council’s nod.

The report was prepared in January this year, but couldn’t be submitted with the high court as the UT administration had decided to put it through the council for discussion first.

The reintroduction of the Apartment Act in the city was also to be put before the council. Facing housing shortages and high real estate prices, a section of people had demanded that the Act, which allows bifurcation of big plots, be reintroduced.

A discussion on the banning of “dangerous” dog breeds was also planned as an agenda of the council meeting in light of cases of pet dogs attacking residents.

Seek approval “in writing”

“If it is not possible to conduct a physical meeting or even a virtual one, what is stopping the administration from seeking members’ views on important policy matters and projects in writing? The precedent has already been set with the issue of private nursing homes in residential areas. The city can’t wait endlessly for the meeting of the council,” said the official.

The official was referring to the matter of allowing nursing homes in residential plots, which was recently rejected by a sub-committee of the council, after which the administration had sought views of the members in writing.