Chandigarh: 493 residents who booked community centres to get refund, parking company’s amount to be adjusted

As many as 493 bookings were cancelled due to the pandemic and about Rs 65.98 lakh was stuck with the government departments.

The General House of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Friday resolved that all people who had booked community centres for weddings, anniversary and retirement parties ever since the lockdown was announced from March 22 to May 31 will get a full refund along with GST paid. As many as 493 bookings were cancelled due to the pandemic and about Rs 65.98 lakh was stuck with the government departments. The money includes Rs 55.51 lakh rent amount paid by people, Rs 10.07 lakh as the GST and Rs 40,000 for cleaning charges.

BJP Councillor Arun Sood said that when invoice is cancelled, even GST is refundable along with other booking charges and these bookings had to cancelled for no fault of the residents.

Echoing this, Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla said, “Residents are not at fault and the entire amount should be refunded be it GST or cleaning charges or anything.”

Parking company’s amount to be adjusted The parking company had also sought refund from the Municipal Corporation due to the pandemic. However, the House decided that the amount be adjusted when things are normal.

“At the same time, this be ensured that salaries of employees are paid by the company,” the councillors said.

The charge to manage paid parking lots was taken from end of January and February this year. Two companies had taken over paid parking lot for Rs 5.01 crore and Rs 5.51 crore per annum and have now requested the Corporation for refund

Meanwhile, a comprehensive report prepared by the Chandigarh MC on works done during pandemic was also discussed. specifying the how the various wings of the civic body are working in current times.

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The MC stated that an approximate expenditure of Rs 14.41 lakh was made, for different works including that done by the building and roads wing which entail fixing tents, sound system in grain markets, and installing CCTV cameras.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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