After two years of stalled construction and administrative hurdles, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) is expected to get its permanent headquarters by April 2026.
The civic body has floated a fresh tender for the completion of its office building in Sector-3, with bids set to open on August 1, MC mayor Kulbhushan Goyal confirmed.
Despite being established 15 years ago in March 2010, the Panchkula MC has functioned without a dedicated headquarters — operating from community centres and a rented facility instead.
The construction of the MC office building—a five-storeyed structure, including basement, spread across a 1.2 acre plot—began in December 2019, with a project cost of ₹29.49 crore and an initial deadline of April 2021.
However, delays and contractual issues pushed the project far off schedule. The new completion date was first extended to October 2022, but work came to a halt when the contract was terminated in February 2023.
The previous contractor, who had completed approximately ₹11.50 crore worth of work, was removed for what officials described as fundamental breaches of agreement, including execution delays and alleged subletting of work.
Although the building’s main structure is largely complete, finishing works — such as tiling, electrical fittings, glasswork, woodwork and painting — remain pending. The newly issued tender covers these works and is valued at ₹17.68 crore, with a completion timeline of 240 days (eight months) once awarded.
{{/usCountry}}Although the building’s main structure is largely complete, finishing works — such as tiling, electrical fittings, glasswork, woodwork and painting — remain pending. The newly issued tender covers these works and is valued at ₹17.68 crore, with a completion timeline of 240 days (eight months) once awarded.
{{/usCountry}}This is not the first attempt to complete the project. A previous round of bidding in March 2025 saw four companies submit proposals, but no contract was awarded due to non-compliance with eligibility criteria.
The delay has caused financial strain on the civic body, Goyal said. “MC currently operates from a rented facility in Sector 14, costing the corporation ₹7-8 lakh per month. The scattered functioning is not only costly but also hampers efficient service delivery,” he added.
Several departments—including taxation, engineering, and encroachment control—are run from community centres in Sector 4 and Sector 12A, making it difficult for residents to access services.
The use of these centres for administrative purposes also prevents their availability for weddings, social gatherings and other public events.
SK Nayar, president of the Citizens’ Welfare Association, said residents struggle to meet officials and get their issues resolved due to the fragmented office locations.