E-Paper
Chandigarh: PU, PGI residents in Ward 13 want MC to share responsibility
Ward 13 voters from institutional areas in Sectors 12, 14 and 25 want Chandigarh MC to coordinate with PU and PGI authorities to ensure basic civic amenities on the two campuses
Comprising Sectors 11, 12, 14 and 25, Chandigarh municipal corporation’s Ward No. 13 is an education hub and home to two premier institutes of the region —Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and Panjab University (PU). However, those residing here rue poor infrastructure, including parks, roads and parking spaces, besides sanitation issues.
The MC is not responsible for maintaining roads or streetlights within the PGI campus in Sector 12 or PU campus in Sectors 14 and 25. Residents of these areas, who include doctors, professors and other employees, say the civic body and the two institutes often keep passing the buck, as a result of which nothing concrete happens on the ground.
“PU is maintaining the infrastructure, including roads and streetlights on the campus. But it is not sufficient. Even we vote for the councillor, and avail power and water supply from the MC. It must coordinate with PU and PGIMER to ensure basic civic amenities in these sectors,” says Ashwani Koul, a PU professor and resident of Sector 25.
“The PGI administration does not coordinate with the MC and both the authorities do not wish to be held responsible for doing the work on the ground. Roads inside the PGIMER need immediate re-carpeting while the garbage dumps need to be cleared up. But when we ask the MC officials and councillor to do the needful, they say the PGI will do it, and vice-a-versa,” says Ravinder Kumar, 46, sanitary attendant in PGIMER and resident of sector 12.
Councillor Raj Bala Malik, who represents the area, says: “The independent institutes do not even let MC vans and vehicles enter their campuses. Despite our best efforts, we are not able to give a boost to the infrastructure.”
Parking a pain in Sector 11
However, the situation is different in Sector 11, which a tony residential area of the city. Though people have access to basic facilities like clean drinking water, 24-hour electricity and public parks, residents want better parking space, recarpeting of inner lanes and more street lights.
“The roads in the sector were dug up for laying optic cables but have not been recarpeted. Garbage collection and water taxes are unnecessarily hiked. We expect the new councillor to work on providing more parking spaces, as the existing ones get occupied by people visiting the PGIMER in the neighbouring sector. In markets too, the MC must ensure that there is no encroachment by vendors,” says Diwakar Sahoonja, president, Market Welfare Association, Sector 11.
KNOW YOUR WARD
Localities: Sector 11, Sector 12, Sector 14 and Sector 25
General ward
Voters: 8,500
Key Issues
Public works hampered as MC holds less power at PU, PGIMER
Garbage dumps on empty plots, parks, roads
Parking spaces a major concern in Sector 11
LOCAL VOICES
The PGI administration does not coordinate with MC and both the authorities do not wish to be held responsible for doing the work on the ground: Ravinder Kumar, 46, sanitary attendant at PGIMER and a resident of Sector 12
Even in an institute like PGIMER, sanitation is a big concern. The garbage heaps invite stray cattle and dogs to the area, which are adding to our woes: Raj Kumar, 50, a resident of Sector 12
PU is itself maintaining the infrastructure like roads and streetlights, but it is not sufficient. MC must coordinate with it to ensure basic civic amenities: Ashwani Koul, PU professor and a resident of Sector 25
We expect more parking lots in the sector as most of the space gets occupied by people visiting the PGIMER. MC should also remove all illegal street vendors: Diwakar Sahoonja, president, Market Welfare Association, Sector 11
