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Fund crunch: Chandigarh municipal corporation to start only urgent road repairs from October
A large section of Chandigarh roads, particularly in areas such as Manimajra, Sector 44/45 dividing road, Sector 45-47, Sector 40-41, and various colonies, are in dire need of repairs
Though a large part of city roads is in a bad shape, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) will start recarpeting only a few roads from October due to financial crisis. As per civic body officials, around 267 km of city roads require urgent carpeting this year.
A large section of city roads, particularly in areas such as Manimajra, Sector 44/45 dividing road, Sector 45-47, Sector 40-41, and various colonies, are in dire need of repairs. Residents, especially in the worst-affected sectors and colonies, demanded urgent action as potholes and uneven surfaces continue to hamper daily commutes.
The Building and Roads (B&R) wing of the MC, facing budget constraints, has decided to prioritise a few critical stretches for recarpeting, leaving many other damaged roads awaiting further repairs. “This year, 126 km of roads have already been recarpeted at a cost of ₹12.43 crore. But due to the financial crisis, the MC is yet to release the pending payments worth ₹4 crore to contractors. Now, an estimate has been made for 267 km of road at an estimated cost of ₹55 crore, but due to the acute crisis, we will start work only on some urgent roads. For now, we will focus on roads that pose a safety risk or are causing significant inconvenience to the public,” said MC officials.
“Contractors demand payments of around 50 lakh after every 10 to 15 days but we are not in the condition to pay regular payments, which can affect the road recarpeting this season,” the officials said, adding that we ensure that potholes are regularly filled and patch work is done on priority basis, so as to avert accidents.
As the monsoon season nears its end, the engineering department is prepared to undertake necessary recarpeting projects and aims at completing as many road sections as possible before the onset of winter.
At present, the MC has been unable to float any new tender for development projects since May this year, bringing the city’s growth to a complete standstill.
All civic works, including those already approved by the finance and contract committee (F&CC) and the MC General House, have been stalled. This includes road carpeting, laying of paver blocks, renovation and upgrade of community centres, beautification of markets, improvements to public toilets and cremation grounds, and horticulture-related projects. The suspension of these projects is a direct result of the civic body’s worsening financial condition.
Meanwhile, city mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor said, “We have already demanded additional grant in aid of ₹200 crore from the UT administration. We will again request the officials for the same. We are prioritising work so that all urgent works can be carried out on time.”
