Residents fume as MC shifts another branch in Panchkula Community Centre

Facing strong opposition from residents, who had also filed a PIL, the civic body had shifted all its branches to a rented building in Sector 14, except for its technical wing. However, they have recently shifted the branch dealing with property tax to the Community Centre.

“Housing government offices in a Community Centre defeats the purpose for which it is set up. After lot of efforts, we managed to get it vacated from MC, though a few of its officials continued to work from here. Now, they have shifted another branch, aggravating the problem,” said S D Daid, one of the residents.

While, all the main offices of the civic body functions from Sector 14, a part if its technical wing including Municipal Engineers, Junior Engineers and now the property tax branch will function from Sector 4.

“We had filed a PIL against this and the MC told the Court that they have earmarked land for their new building in Sector 3 and they will shift there. However, it has been two years, they have neither started construction of that building, nor they have vacated the Community Centre,” complained another resident, Naresh Bansal.

According to MC officials, the branch has been done temporarily and that the Corporation is looking for an alternate building. “The property tax branch was functioning from basement and visitors faced problem due to steep stairs and lack of space. We are considering options for another rented building which will have ample space, but it is still in a planning stage,” said Commissioner, MC, Lalit Siwach.

The civic body has been mulling to shift to the Agro Mall, Sector 20, which they will have to be taken on rent from Agriculture and Marketing Board, Haryana. The air-conditioned building has also been lying unused eversince it was constructed, but no decision has been taken yet. The proposal for a new building in Sector 3 has also failed to take off and is stuck in the planning stage.