FOSWAC slams Chandigarh’s civic amenities, blames MC, admin for lack of development

The meeting, chaired by Bittu, was attended by 79 residents welfare associations (RWAs) from the city. The event also saw the presence of Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari as the chief guest and councillor Prem Lata as a special invitee.

During the meeting, Bittu criticised the “deplorable state” of Chandigarh’s roads, underscoring that they have significantly deteriorated, and expressed concern over the lack of proper maintenance. He condemned the “wasteful expenditure of public funds on unnecessary projects with critical issues remaining unaddressed”.

He also highlighted the worsening traffic congestion, chaotic parking situations, and failures in waste management that has “diminished the city’s charm”. Additionally, The FOSWAC chairman raised concerns about the declining law and order situation, which he said was becoming increasingly worrisome.

Another significant issue brought up was the “inefficiency” of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), which was established to provide affordable housing but, according to the FOSWAC chairman, but is now exploiting residents by charging “exorbitant rates”, even higher than private builders. Bittu pointed out that the CHB has been without a permanent chairman since 2018, and instead of implementing a settlement policy, it was continually issuing notices to residents.

Residents from various sectors also voiced their grievances. J S Gogia, general secretary, FOSWAC, lamented the years of futile debates over whether Chandigarh should have a Metro, pointing out that traffic congestion had multiplied without any effective management. Similarly, K L Aggarwal, president, RWA at Sector 13, questioned the very existence of the MC, given its lack of funds even for minor repairs, and suggested that it should be scrapped if it cannot serve its purpose.

Simmi Sandhu, president , RWA at Sector 37, raised the issue of the increasing dog menace, which poses a threat to senior citizens and children, as dog bite cases continue to rise.

Dr Cheema, president of RWA at Sector 34, complained about the irregular supply of tertiary water, warning that the lack of water would severely affect park maintenance in the summer months.

Swadesh Talwar, president of RWA at Sector 42, expressed frustration over the removal of security gates installed with their own funds, while professor A S Bhatia of Citizens Association Sector 21 criticised the community centres for being inaccessible and out of reach of the local residents.

Present at the occasion, Tewari, addressing the gathering, stated that he had raised 29 questions related to Chandigarh in the Parliament, highlighting concerns such as the legitimacy of the Heritage Committee, which lacks legal sanctity as per the government’s response. He also discussed the long-pending issue of share-wise property registration in Chandigarh, urging the administration to seek clarification from the Supreme Court.

Councillor Lata encouraged residents to proactively file complaints and assured them of her continued support in addressing the challenges faced by the city. She also condemned the MC’s unnecessary expenditures, reiterating her commitment to improving the situation.