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Chandigarh admn, MC to ring in Diwali with ₹18-lakh lights for eight buildings
To ring in the Diwali festivities, the Chandigarh administration and MC are planning to light up eight buildings and seven roundabouts at a whopping cost of ₹18 lakh
Not just houses, eight buildings of the UT administration and municipal corporation, and seven roundabouts will also be bedecked with lights to usher in Diwali this year, albeit at a whopping cost of ₹18 lakh.
To ring in the festivities, the administration is planning to light up Punjab Raj Bhawan, UT Secretariat in Sector 9, Capitol Complex, Deputy Commissioner’s office in Sector 17, two UT guest houses in Sectors 6 and 18 , besides seven roundabouts on Madhya Marg on October 23, 24 and 25 that will entail a total cost of ₹16 lakh.
Of this, ₹3.60 lakh will be spent on decorating the Deputy Commissioner’s office alone.
At MC’s end, its own building in Sector 17 and the mayor’s house in Sector 24 will also be lit up for two days on October 24 and 25, for which around ₹2 lakh will be spent.
The UT and MC have floated several tenders, splitting the job for the eight buildings and seven roundabouts.
CB Ojha, chief engineer-cum-special secretary of engineering, said, “We install lights on some buildings every Diwali. But this time, we have added some more buildings and the tender amount has been quoted as per scheduled rates.”
MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said ₹2 lakh was just the estimated amount and the contracts will be given to the lowest bidders.
However, Aam Aadmi Party’s Chandigarh president Prem Garg said, “On the one hand, the UT administration is encouraging residents to observe a green Diwali and use only green crackers, on the other hand, they are blowing up public funds on costly decorations. They should have instead opted for traditional decorations, such as earthen lamps, which would also help local artisans.”
RK Garg, president of Second Innings’ Association, a senior citizens’ body, also opined that the administration should use financial prudence while spending public funds. “They should have used earthen lamps, which would also help save electricity,” he said.
