There are about 47 Chowks in Chandigarh as of now, built to slow down, prevent crashes and traffic congestion. But keeping in view the present road mishaps, fatalities and traffic, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to start the work of re-shaping and re-designing of Chowks in Chandigarh. This aims at lessen the impact of accidents and provide safety to people.

Need of Redesigning the Chowks in Chandigarh

Earlier the MC has initiated the work of re-designing 6 roundabouts in the city under a pilot project at a cost of Rs 1.40 crore. According to the officials, the initiate was carried out on the recommendation of Road Safety Council. The project was aimed to improve the road safety at Chowks in Chandigarh. After the success of the pilot project, now the MC is all prepared to re-shape other 14 roundabouts in the city.

Several major roundabouts under UT Administration will be re-designed and equipped with surveillance cameras and pavers around. The re-shaping aims at decreasing the impact in case of road accidents, easing traffic and providing safety.

According to the framework decided by the MC, the height of 6 Chowks in Chandigarh has been reduced from nearly 2 feet to 9 inches. This will avoid direct crashing with the roundabout during the mishap. Instead of using any hard or rough material, Paver blocks have been put around the chowks with 6-foot width. These pavers will ensure the safety of the commuters or pedestrians while crossing the road. Besides this, the CCTV cameras will also be installed on all these junctions and will be connected to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Sector 17 for live surveillance.

Despite the new design, the geometry of the Chowks in Chandigarh will remain unchanged. The drivers have to pay to the officials for any damaged caused to the chowks. According to the officials, “Often, there are cases where the drunk car drivers damage chowks and speed away. We will identify their registration numbers through these cameras and recover losses from them.”

This concept of roundabout is already used in Panchkula and now will be implemented in Chandigarh. The decision to redesign the roundabouts was first taken during the state-level road safety council meeting, chaired by UT advisor Dharam Pal in 2021 and subsequently in 2022.

Experts point out that while roundabouts help commuters to self-regulate on speed, the traffic lights have an exact opposite effect. “The common tendency is to jump traffic lights, especially during non-peak hours. Roundabouts, on the contrary, are self-regulatory structures that act as traffic-calming devices,” says Navdeep Asija, a technical member of the state-level Road Safety Council and Punjab traffic adviser.

In a Nutshell

The UT Administration is taking a positive step towards the safety of the commuters. The re-designing and re-shaping of the Chowks in Chandigarh will help in lowering the road accidents and related fatalities. Alongside this will also provide easy to pedestrians will crossing the road. Furthermore, no change in the geometrical structure will not lead to spoil the ancient designing of rotary intersections in the city.

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But, a day after the General House gave its approval to the agenda of providing 20,000 liters of free water to every family of Chandigarh, Administrator Banwarilal Purohit turned it down stating that free water is not possible. The Administration informs the residents about the annual hike of water tariff in Chandigarh as per the bylaws approved in 2022.

Overview of hike in water tariff in Chandigarh

In between then going debate for free water among UT Administration and Mayor, the Municipal Corporation has issued an order to increase the water tariff in Chandigarh by 5%. The change in rates will be observed from upcoming financial year i.e. 1^st April 2024 to 2025. According to the MC’s view, the hike had been carried out keeping in view the losses. “To ensure that there is not a big gap in spending and income in future, a small annual increase has been mandated”, they said.

From April 1, residents will have to shell out more for water with 5 percent. As per bylaws approved in 2022, annual recurring increase in water charges are coming into effect.

Aam Aadmi Party and Congress alliance Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Tita had approved free water of 20,000 litres to every family. Meanwhile the Punjab Governor, Banwarilal Purohit informed that these “freebies” are not possible. Purohit stated, “I won’t approve the proposal for free water. How can we give free water in Chandigarh when we have already signed loan agreement for 15 years for the 24×7 water project?”

The Governor referred to the agreement signed between the MC and French government’s Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD). The total cost of 24×7 water project is estimated as Rs 510 crore. Out of which Rs 412 crore is been provided by AFD in the form of loan, which is to be paid in 15 years. The city will have to pay Rs 40 crore annually to AFD and the repayment of loan will begin after the completion of the project.

Purohit declared the demand of Mayor as financially unviable and not backed by any detailed plan or scheme. The administration stated that the hikes in water tariff in Chandigarh were done after a detailed discussion with all stakeholders and keeping in view the financial interest of the Municipal Corporation of the UT. The Chandigarh Administration told, “rates would be hiked as per the bylaws approved in 2022. The water tariff in Chandigarh in each slab, be it residential, commercial or industrial, will be enhanced by 5 percent. The new rates will be notified soon.”

The new rates will vary from Rs 3.15 per kilolitre (kl) to Rs 20 per kl depending on the consumption. Currently, these range between Rs 3 per kl and Rs 8 per kl. The residents falling in the 0-15 kl slab will have to pay Rs 3.15 per kl instead of the current Rs 3 per kl.

Chandigarh Congress has expressed their displeasure on the decision made by Banwarilal Purohit, for contemptuously rejecting the public welfare scheme of providing free water to the city residents. They stated that residents were already fed up with the high-water rates. The 5% hike, coupled with the existing 30% sewerage cess on the total water bill is going to add to their woes.

Wrapping Thoughts

The people must forget about free water, instead prepare themselves to shell out more due to increase in water tariff in Chandigarh. Generally, it is the responsibility of the Government itself to provide basic amenities to people for free or at subsidized rates. But Chandigarh government has planned big for the future of the city and its residents. Let’s hope that today’s hike in water rates for residential, commercial or industrial sector should bring some fruitful results in future.

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Recently, Administration inaugurated rag doll village in the rock garden to enhance its beauty and make it more attractive. The administration is taking news steps to make it more attractive and charming place and for this, they have imposed a ban on all Rock Garden Wedding Events. Here in Chandigarh, people find it a good place for organizing wedding events and this news surely will disappoint them but according to the UT Administration this step is taken to make it clean and beautiful.

Why No To Chandigarh Rock Garden Wedding:

This decision is taken because these wedding functions create lots of mess at that beautiful place and this is tarnishing its beauty. Tourists also face lots of problems because during these events people are not allowed to go there. The marriage function occurs at the third phase of the Garden and many people who come there to visit this garden many times get disappointed because they can not go to the third phase of the garden because of wedding functions.

Another problem is related to garbage after the wedding garbage or green waste was not being cleaned and this will not good for the garden. It gives really a very bad look to this beautiful place and this place does not deserve to be spoiled by such things.

Chandigarh Rock Garden Wedding Booking Cost

The booking cost for the wedding at Rock Garden is  70,000 and out of which Rs 10,000 is refundable. This amount people get after wedding function. These orders of no wedding at Rock Garden will not be applicable for those who had already booked the venue and for next two months these wedding program will happen there.

This will surely impact the revenue collection of Rock Garden Society because they were going to get lots of booking in Wedding season. But from now onwards there will be no new booking for the wedding events in the Rock Garden. This step is taken because Administration was getting lots of complaints regarding the effects of these events on the cleanliness of the garden and this is the reason they banned it.

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At present, the generation and transmission are intact but the distribution is not up to the mark. The discoms are blamed for the poor electricity in our country. Chandigarh soon to get relieved from those power cuts. Chandigarh is taking the initiative to bring multiple discoms to distribute electricity in the country.

Benefits of Privatization of the power supply in Chandigarh

• The consumers will have the freedom to choose their service provider
• Consumers could easily switch their service provider if not satisfied
• No power cuts as each provider will work at its best
• No complaint calls at centres
• Multiple distributors
• Better Supply of power

If the Privatization of the power supply in Chandigarh is done it will be a win-win situation for the residents and as well as the service providers. VP Bhadnore is already working on it to upgrade the system for public welfare. The Administrator wants to take it to another level and wishes to make the city beautiful best in the country. City Beautiful is already at a higher level than other cities but the major challenge is to take 13 villages under UT on par with Chandigarh.  The UT Administration is considering every point and trying their best to solve every problem the residents of Chandigarh are facing.

To solve the peak hour traffic they have come up with an idea to restrict one-way traffic for two peak hour time in the morning and evening to smoothen the traffic of vehicles on roads. The Smart City Project is already here and the Administration is trying to implement it as soon as possible.

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Some of the famous Buildings of Pierre Jeanneret in Chandigarh are Le Corbusier Centre, primary schools and colleges. At Panjab University, he designed the Gandhi Bhawan, A.C. Joshi Library, Administration Buildings and hostels of girls and boys. Parimal Advisor to the Administration, Maninder Singh, Chairman Chandigarh Housing Board, Jitender Yadav, Tourism Director, Kapil Setia, Chief Architect, SD Sharma, senior most architect, Sumit Kaur, former chief architect and some famous personalities also bestowed their presence at Pierre Jeanneret Museum.

The Museum is set up on the ground floor and on the 1^st floor, three bedrooms are proposed to be made into guest rooms for researchers. This museum consists of different sections residential, education, furniture and personal images. There are certain texts and images to show the visitors the hard work and dedication of Pierre Jeanneret towards his work. The pictures display also showcased the challenges faced by him during that period.

Jeanneret lived for many years in this house at Sector 5, Chandigarh and later it was allotted to senior officials of the Administration and High Court. There were frequent alterations being done at this house but later Chief Architect objected to it as this house is to be retained as a tribute to Pierre Jeanneret. Now Pierre Jeanneret Museum is open for the public to visit anytime and know all the details about it. A new attraction for the visitors to visit Chandigarh.

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Now all the shops at State Highways shall remain as there is a change in the nomenclature to District Highways. There shall be no liquor ban in Chandigarh the only change that shall occur after the court orders are minimal change in a number of Liquors shops.

In 2005 UT Administration notified the main road connecting the two states to be called as State Highways which included V1 V2 V3 roads. Now, these roads are being denotified as State Highways and changing to District Highways.All the Liquor Shops in Chandigarh will stay except the shops at or 500m from National Highways and Madhya Marg.

Closure of Liquor Shops in Chandigarh

Madhya Marg

• 11 Liquor shops at State Highway Panchkula border to Mullanpur
• Sector 26 Transport Area-1, Sector 26 Market-1, Sector8-1, Sector9-1, Sector 17-1, Khuda Lahora-1, Manimajra-1, Sarangpur-1

National Highways

• 12 Liquor shops at Zirakpur road till Sector 39
• Raipur Khurd-1
• Sector20-1, Sector21-1, Sector35-1, Sector44-1, Sector41-1
• Kajehri-1, Bhadheri-2

Increase in Liquor Price

The Excise Department is preparing the Excise Policy to generate the revenue that was produced earlier. In order to have the same revenue as before the prices of the Liquor is meant to increase. The Excise Duty will increase and the prices of the Liquor shall increase by 50 or 100 rupees.

Harman Sidhu who had filed the case against these Liquor shops in Chandigarh expresses that it’s an ashame for Supreme Court. He is disappointed with the trick of UT Administrator and shall write about it to Prime Minister later.

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