Guest Column: Tale of a city stuck in its erstwhile glory
Chandigarh, however, has been slow to evolve, probably because it is stuck in its erstwhile glory. Be it waste management, traffic management, electricity management, water management, law and order, civic amenities, digitisation or civic discipline, the state of affairs has been rather dismal. The reasons for this are not difficult to fathom -- inability to take tough decisions and the lack of vision, futuristic thinking and a modern outlook.
Chandigarh, our City Beautiful, made it to the hallowed list of smart cities in 2016. It was a foregone conclusion that this ‘heaven on earth’, labelled as the best planned modern township, considered smart without a formal tag, has the potential to develop as a smart city.
On the other hand, cities like Bhubaneshwar in Orissa, once termed a younger twin of Chandigarh, has overtaken us in the smart city race.
Interestingly, Indore, which refuses to give up its leading spot as the cleanest in the country, is an example of civic discipline, focused governance and citizen support.
We were posted at Mhow, an army cantonment in the suburbs of Indore during early 2000s. The place was congested with work-in-progress on all fronts. A foodies’ delight and packed movie theatres were the USPs of Indore. And of course, as it was a rail junction and had air connectivity, it was a part of our frequent schedule.
Mind you, Indore unlike Chandigarh, is a 16th century vintage city that happens to be the most populous one in Madhya Pradesh. Having made big strides, its journey as the cleanest city commenced in 2017 and seems unending.
Chandigarh, however, has been slow to evolve, probably because it is stuck in its erstwhile glory. Be it waste management, traffic management, electricity management, water management, law and order, civic amenities, digitisation or civic discipline, the state of affairs has been rather dismal. The reasons for this are not difficult to fathom -- inability to take tough decisions and the lack of vision, futuristic thinking and a modern outlook.
And to top that, the MC is fast becoming a political arena for wresting power -- as was seen during the recent mayoral elections. More often than not, House meetings, called to discuss the city’s important issues, also turn into a political slugfest.
Poor collaboration between the MC and the administration, as seen with its non-concurrence of most of the populist proposals by the higher authorities, have become a norm.
Be it the electric vehicle policy, solarisation of residential buildings, parking woes, water charges, or even as mundane as complimentary passes signify areas of discord.
A glaring example of the ‘chalta hai’ syndrome was witnessed when the city roads were crying for repairs. First, the work was halted due to monsoon, then due to winter. This revealed that the civic works machinery remains inactive during two seasons. Another example is of the imbroglio at Chandigarh Golf Club. The club undertook the job of upgrading its premises for which all sanctions were duly obtained. And just when the work was mid-way, security concerns were flagged and the work was stopped. Now, it faces dismantling, with the possibility that the funds, basically the members’ contributions, will go down the drain. Wonder why the authorities did not do a timely check. The half-built structures, which adorn the façade of the club, are an eyesore to this magnificent pride of Chandigarh.
Chandigarh, nevertheless, remains a regional education and health facilities hub, a fast-developing attraction for business and corporates and of course the most-preferred destination for veterans and the retired. This impression, though, seems to be in the danger of getting clouded unless a vibrant governance reverses the trend.