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Mohali MC to hand over park upkeep to firms under CSR
In the first phase, prominent parks such as Silvy Park in Phase-10, Kargil Park in Sector 71, Eco Herbal Park in Sector 69, Green Park in Phase-5, City Park in Sector 68, Rose Garden in Phase-3B1 and Bougainvillea Garden in Phase-4, will be handed over to private firms. Smaller parks will, for now, remain under the care of RWAs.
In a major policy shift, the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) has proposed to hand over the maintenance of major parks in the city to private companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model.
This is to reduce the financial burden on the civic body while improving the quality and transparency of park maintenance. However, the decision may lead to several residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) losing control over park management. The agenda will come up in the July 18 House meeting for approval.
Under the proposal, companies will maintain parks free of cost under CSR obligations. Their responsibilities will go beyond cleanliness and greening, and include the upkeep of park infrastructure and the establishment of cafeterias. In return, companies will be allowed to generate revenue through advertisements, kiosks, or paid parking facilities, subject to feasibility.
In the first phase, prominent parks such as Silvy Park in Phase-10, Kargil Park in Sector 71, Eco Herbal Park in Sector 69, Green Park in Phase-5, City Park in Sector 68, Rose Garden in Phase-3B1 and Bougainvillea Garden in Phase-4, will be handed over to private firms. Smaller parks will, for now, remain under the care of RWAs.
Mohali currently has 798 parks, of which 39 are categorised as large “Special Parks” and 194 are maintained by RWAs. The new plan aims to bring 604 parks—comprising 39 special parks and 565 additional parks—under the CSR model. As per the agenda, the urban local body (ULB) will issue advertisements in leading newspapers to invite applications from agencies interested in maintaining parks as per defined activities. The maintenance cost of each park will be evaluated in advance to ensure a self-sustaining model.
Also, no more than 15% of a park’s total area will be permitted to have hard surfaces, in line with eco-friendly norms. The selection process will be fully transparent, with provisions for videography. If multiple agencies apply for the same park, allotment will be done through a draw of lots.
Aadhaar-based biometric attendance system
Apart from this, a proposal to implement an Aadhaar-based biometric attendance system for Mohali MC employees will also be tabled in the meeting. Currently, the attendance is marked manually. The shift to a biometric system aligns with the Government of India policy, which mandates the use of Aadhaar-based systems in all government and government-aided institutions.
Mohali MC plans to roll out a system similar to Chandigarh MC, which has adopted UIDAI’s facial authentication-based biometric attendance system. This model will apply to all categories, including regular employees, outsourced staff, field personnel, and sanitation workers. To facilitate smooth implementation, a nodal officer will be appointed at the MC level, and each department will nominate a single point of contact (SPOC). These SPOCs will oversee employee registration and conduct training sessions. A five-day window will be allotted for registration and training, followed by a 15-day trial run before full-scale implementation.
