RWAs in Chandigarh threaten to surrender parks over delay in payment of maintenance fee

The RWAs said they are having to dig into their own pockets to pay salaries of gardeners and sweepers

Many residents welfare associations (RWAs) in Chandigarh are threatening to surrender parks being maintained by them, claiming that the municipal corporation (MC) hasn’t paid their maintenance fee since June. The RWAs said they are having to dig into their own pockets to pay salaries of gardeners and sweepers.

There are around 1,800 neighborhood parks in Chandigarh, of which almost 700 are maintained by the RWAs. (HT FILE)

There are around 1,800 neighborhood parks in Chandigarh, of which almost 700 are maintained by the RWAs. They are paid ₹2.48 per square meter, and the rates haven’t been revised since 2013.

Chandigarh Resident Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) chairman Hitesh Puri said many RWAs have complained to him about these charges.

“Around 20 RWAs have come forward and said they are ready to surrender the parks if payment doesn’t come through. We will take a collective call and approach MC officials regarding this on Monday,” he said.

Puri added that they have already written two letters to the MC asking them to release funds, but no action has been taken.

President of the Sector 21-B RWA, Kuldeep Singh Gill, said, “We are ready to surrender the park maintained by us. However, as all RWAs facing this problem, we need to do this together. The MC will not be affected if just one or two RWAs surrender the parks.”

President of the Sector 38 A and B RWA, Joginder Singh, said that although he was in favour of surrendering the park for the same reason, the RWA has no other alternative.

“Once the MC starts maintaining the park, they will hire contractors for sweeping, cleaning grass and weed cutting. This has failed in the other parks they maintain and we don’t want ours to get neglected the same way,” he said, adding that park maintenance fee for April was received by them in July.

Rajinder Garg, president of the Sector 46-A RWA, said that they have already surrendered the park being maintained by them, owing to the delayed payments.

“We surrendered the park being maintained by our RWA around ten days back. We are still helping to maintain the park because the MC hasn’t taken the initiative. Those maintained by the MC have overgrown grass and aren’t pruned enough. Further, the civic body’s memo to impose tax deducted on source (TDS) on our park maintenance payment wasn’t acceptable,” he said.

Meanwhile, municipal officials said payments are being made as per protocol. A senior official from the horticulture wing, said, “We have not received any complaints regarding payment of maintenance fee. There is no fund crunch and we have been paying RWAs as per protocol.”