Community centre demolition: Citing lack of coordination, family changes wedding venue

The family said that a contractor had told them that building will be demolished as he was yet to get a written order.

At Community Centre, Sector 21, Chandigarh. (Express Photo)

A day after the UT administration put on hold its decision to demolish two community centres, one of the families which had a wedding scheduled for this Sunday at one of the centres changed their venue citing “lack of coordination” between the Municipal Corporation and the administration.

The family said that a contractor had told them that building will be demolished as he was yet to get a written order.

Kanhaiya, whose sister’s wedding was scheduled at the community centre in Sector 21, said,” Instead of making arrangements for my sister’s wedding, we are frequenting the offices of the officials. After getting to know that UT has put on hold the demolition, we went to make arrangements at community centre. But the contractor said he had got no written orders and thus will demolish it”.

“ We kept asking officials to give directions to the contractor. Whatever has been happening, it is all verbal. The water and power connection has also not been restored,” he said adding that they will now hold wedding in a ground near their house.

As many as 32 families, with their weddings planned at community centres of Sector 21 and Ram Darbar, were left in the lurch after the administration decided to pull down the existing buildings of these centres and build new ones.

A day after Chandigarh Newsline reported the issue, the administration Wednesday put on hold the demolition. Bookings at Sector 21 community centre have been made till December 8, while Ram darbar’s centre was booked till January. Till then, these centres will not be dismantled, the UT engineers told the civic body over phone. While eight weddings are scheduled to take place in Sector 21 community centre, 24 are scheduled to take place at Ram darbar’s centre.

The Municipal Corporation has asked UT Administration to construct community centres for them as they did not have funds. As MP Kirron Kher laid the foundation stone of the two community centres, the Chandigarh Administration that had been sitting over the project for the last many months swung into action and decided to pull the two buildings down without coordinating with the Municipal Corporation which kept making back-to-back bookings at the community centres.

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

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
chandigarh