Cash-strapped Chandigarh MC plans to rent out open-air theatre, Mahila Bhawan

A committee will visit the properties to take stock of infrastructure and facilities available there.

In a bid to generate revenue, the fund-starved municipal corporation is planning to rent out properties owned by it. Such properties include open-air theatre in Sector 48 and Mahila Bhawan in Sector 38.

A panel set up by the mayor to suggest ways to augment MC revenues has recommended booking of such properties be opened at the earliest. The committee will visit the open-air theatre and Mahila Bhawan to take stock of infrastructure and facilities available there.

In a meeting held here on Friday, the panel retreated its recommendation to put up agenda in the general house meeting regarding levying green tax on commercial vehicles of other states entering into the city.

It suggested exploring possibilities to allow the petrol limit instead of providing separate vehicles to officers excluding senior officers in the civic body to avoid the expenditure on maintenance and services, etc.

Another recommendation discussed was to review the rates and policy on cable/optical fiber be put up in the general house and charges to be fixed for the cables/wires crossing through trees, road berms, and MC land.

It asked the MC officials to prepare a proposal to allow advertisements in all vehicles of the civic body to generate revenue.

The panel also suggested that a policy should be formulated to collect charges from the areas, where the shop owners encroached upon government land such as backsides and corners of booths, showrooms and bay shops etc. throughout the city. The panel said a detailed survey should be conducted in this regard and charges be decided per sqft basis till the final policy is prepared and notified.