Traffic congestion, shortage of parking, long-pending Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) issues, faulty electricity bills and deteriorating law and order were among major civic concerns raised by the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations of Chandigarh (FOSWAC) before Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Sunday. The administrator assured residents that most issues would be addressed in the coming days.
At a meeting held at the Indian Medical Association Auditorium, Sector 35, FOSWAC representatives called for a stronger public transport system to ease traffic congestion. Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa (retd) said unplanned peripheral growth was putting pressure on Chandigarh and called for a comprehensive policy on traffic management.
FOSWAC chairman Baljinder Singh Bittu also suggested collecting paid parking charges at exit points to prevent queues on main roads. He raised concerns over waterlogging, poor road conditions, encroachments and blocked pedestrian pathways, saying drains needed comprehensive cleaning before the monsoon.
The long-pending issue of need-based changes affecting more than 60,000 CHB dwelling units was also raised. FOSWAC representatives sought a consistent policy on alterations and permission for lifts in multi-level CHB flats.
CHB CEO D Kartikeyan assured residents that lifts in multi-level flats would be permitted. He said the board was examining complicated grievances and working on practical solutions.
FOSWAC chief advisor Kamaljeet Singh Panchhi also sought permission for share-wise registration of properties and urged the administrator to pursue necessary legislative amendments with the Centre.
Kataria said CHB-related grievances would be examined category-wise and dealt with systematically.
Bittu raised complaints of excessive and faulty electricity bills and alleged non-compliance with JERC directions. He demanded restoration of bi-monthly billing, followed before privatisation. He also flagged delays in registration of FIRs.
FOSWAC representatives raised concerns over shootings, murders, snatchings, thefts and increasing online fraud targeting senior citizens. SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said special teams were being constituted against drug peddling and that snatchers and mobile-phone thieves were under surveillance.
Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said mutations after property registration were being completed within seven days and joint teams were taking action against encroachments.
Home secretary Mandeep Singh Brar urged residents to use AC bus services to reduce traffic congestion and said action was being taken against unauthorised vendors.
Kataria said he had taken note of the grievances and appreciated FOSWAC’s role in bringing residents’ concerns before the administration. He said such interactions helped the government understand problems at the grassroots level.
On water supply, he said efforts would be made to provide adequate pressure during specified hours, while observing that uninterrupted 24-hour supply was not presently workable.