MC considers privatisation

CHANDIGARH, Oct 12: The Municipal Corporation today decided to explore the possibilities of privatising the upkeep and maintenance of str...

CHANDIGARH, Oct 12: The Municipal Corporation today decided to explore the possibilities of privatising the upkeep and maintenance of streetlights in the City on a contract basis after its Finance and Contracts Committee approved a proposal in this regard.

At its meeting today, the Committee felt this would prove both efficient and economical. Only those streetlights which fall under the MC8217;s purview would, however, be privatised. It was felt that if need be, the City could also be divided into different segments for award of privatisation contracts.

The proposal was put forth in view of the acute shortage of MC staff, owing to which it was becoming difficult to maintain streetlights. The MC electricity wing has one junior engineer taking care of the entire streetlighting in the City. The staff shortage had forced the MC to delve on two proposals handing over maintenance of the entire streetlighting to the Administration or privatising the work under its purview.

At present, the MC spends Rs 1.32 crore per annum on maintenance of streetlights. Privatisation is being considered a safe proposition for improving the upkeep besides making it a revenue generation venture. The MC would have to spend Rs 70 lakh on the staff alone for upkeep of streetlights. The MC has also studied streetlight privatisation by other MCs, especially in Faridabad, where it was found successful.

The MC Committee also authorised the Commissioner to sort out the matter pertaining to holding of the Diwali Mela at the Sector 17 Piazza after getting clearance in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer. It also cleared proposals pertaining to cement purchases and holding of an Utsav Mela at Shanti Kunj on the occasion of Diwali. Also cleared was a proposal for charging Rs 5,000 per day for the use of the carnival stage in Sector 17.

Today8217;s meeting was attended by only two of the six councillors who are part of the Committee. Prem Sagar Jain, O.P. Goyal, Ranjana Shahi and Surya Pandit did not attend the meeting, and this was viewed in light of the ongoing rumblings within the BJP.