Mohali: House greenlights CSR-based maintenance at five city parks

Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu informed the House that a committee comprising councillors and officials would be constituted to frame guidelines for the initiative

In a move aimed at reducing the financial burden on Mohali municipal corporation, the House on Friday greenlighted the proposal to hand over the maintenance of five parks in the city to private companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model.

Mohali currently has 798 parks, including 39 large “special parks” and 194 parks maintained by residents welfare associations (RWAs). (HT File)

Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu informed the House that a committee comprising councillors and officials would be constituted to frame guidelines for the initiative. “Initially, we will hand over five parks to firms under the CSR model. If the company’s performance is found unsatisfactory, a 15-day notice will be issued, and their contract will be cancelled,” said Sidhu.

He added that parks will be handed over only after obtaining the consent of the respective ward councillor.

Under the proposed model, companies will maintain the parks free of cost as part of their CSR obligations. Their responsibilities will extend beyond cleanliness and landscaping to include the upkeep of park infrastructure and setting up of cafeterias. In return, companies will be permitted to generate revenue through advertisements, kiosks, and, where feasible, ticketing or paid parking.

Mohali currently has 798 parks, including 39 large “special parks” and 194 parks maintained by residents welfare associations (RWAs). According to the agenda, the urban local body (ULB) will invite applications from interested agencies via advertisements in leading newspapers. The maintenance cost of each park will be pre-evaluated to ensure a self-sustaining model, with revenue generated from advertisements placed within the park premises.

Agendas approved

Biometric attendance for staff: The House also gave its nod to the implementation of an Aadhaar-based biometric attendance system for MC employees to ensure transparent and accurate attendance tracking. Currently, attendance is recorded manually. The proposed shift aligns with the Government of India’s AEBAS policy, which mandates biometric attendance systems in all government and government-aided institutions.

Mohali: House greenlights CSR-based maintenance at five city parks

Door-to-door garbage collection to be tendered

In another key decision, the House approved the floating of open tenders for door-to-door garbage collection. At present, the task is being handled by private contractors, but councillors highlighted numerous complaints regarding inefficiency and lack of accountability. The new tender will include provisions to ensure that all existing sanitation workers are retained and that garbage is segregated at the source, as mandated by the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.