Chandigarh Municipal Corporation decides to shift old scooter bazaar

After getting several complaints of dealers subletting the parking space to others thereby creating chaos, a committee has been constituted to probe and look for an alternative place.

Days after the decision to shift the Car Bazaar invited the ire of car dealers, the municipal corporation is planning to shift the Old Scooter Bazaar, held in Sector 41 every Sunday.

After getting several complaints of dealers subletting the parking space to others thereby creating chaos, a committee has been constituted to probe and look for an alternative place. The committee checked two alternative places, but they did not suffice the purpose.

Deputy Mayor Hardeep Singh, also a member of the committee, said: “We saw two places — one in the parking of Sector 42 lake and the other in Sector 41 near a petrol pump. However, both the sites were not found feasible for shifting the scooter bazaar.”

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Commenting about the subletting problem, the deputy mayor said: “Our officials found that against the space provided to 21 scooter dealers, they had further sublet it to others. Now, around 60 of them have jampacked the area. It was a total chaos.”

Municipal officials said once the alternative place is fixed, the site would be auctioned as well. “Once the place is fixed, we will auction the site accordingly and slips would be issued the same way as it is done in the car bazaar,” said an official.

Mayor Arun Sood said he is waiting for recommendations of the committee. “The committee has been constituted particularly to work on the issues of the scooter bazaar. Once the committee submits its recommendations, they would be placed before the House and a decision would be taken,” he said.

In the recent House meeting, it approved the shifting of the 30-year-old Car Bazaar to Hallomajra. It was being run from a parking lot of Sector 7.

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On the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the administration had to look for an alternative place.

While the House in the meeting approved the development of parking place in Hallomajra, they discussed since the land there belongs to the administration, they should develop the site and not the municipal corporation.

Estimates of the expenditure of Rs 1.5 crore were prepared for the project and it was discussed that the administration should bear these expenses, not the MC.

Mayor Sood said the matter is still under consideration.

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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