Chandigarh MC hikes park-maintenance charges paid to RWAs

Facing the prospects of residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) withdrawing from the maintenance of neighbourhood parks, the municipal corporation (MC) on Friday increased the maintenance charges being paid to them.

Now, instead of ₹2.48 per sq metre a month, the RWAs will get ₹4.15 per sq metre a month for maintaining the neighbourhood parks. The cost for the MC for park maintenance through RWAs will increase to ₹5.66 crore per year against the current cost of ₹3.38 crore per year. The demand for increasing the quantum of payments being made to the RWAs was being made for a long time.

In accordance with the requests of the area councillors and RWAs, a committee was constituted in September 2021. The committee examined the rates being given to the RWAs by MCs of Panchkula and Mohali, which showed that Chandigarh MC was paying very low rates in comparison to these corporations. Panchkula MC increased the rates for maintenance and development of parks from ₹3 per square metre month to ₹5 per square metre per month for parks with area less than an acre and for parks with area more than one acre, the rate was increased from ₹3 per square metre per month to ₹4 per sq m per month. Mohali MC gives ₹4.35 per square metre per month for maintenance of parks to RWAs.

After analysis of rate on the present market rate of DC rate has been calculated for maintenance of the neighbourhood parks and its comes out to be ₹4.15 per sq m per month. The rate includes gardener charges, sanitation worker charges, tree maintenance costs, fuel costs, etc.

The total cost of a park maintenance comes out to be ₹2,01,444 per park per year.

Also, the MC horticulture division will use its own manpower and machinery once in a week to dispose the horticulture waste from the parks.

Other decisions

The MC house decided to give maintenance of backlanes from Sectors 1-30 to RWAs. The norms will be decided in consultation with the RWAs and area councilors. The house approved exemption in license fee to the licensees of taxi stands due to Covid.

MC deferred a decision on license fee exemption to parking contractors. Contractors have been demanding exemption on account of Covid-19 pandemic.