The Times of India 03.11.2009
MC planning to auction commercial booths
CHANDIGARH: Municipal corporation officials intend to auction over a dozen commercial booths soon. While some of those are located in Buterla and Badheri villages, others are in the subway linking Sector 17 with 22.
The occupants of the booths pay monthly rent at the moment. Civic body officials plan to lease them out for 99 years. However, mayor Kamlesh has been opposing that move even as most of the paperwork regarding it has been carried out and the matter will be tabled in the MC house during its upcoming meeting this month.
Sources said village booths were rented out through gram panchayats and the monthly rent for them was between Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 only. The rent for subway booths, however, is between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.
An MC official said, ‘Most of the subway booths are involved in litigation, so we are planning to lease them out. The mayor is objecting to that and the decision is therefore pending.’
Another senior official of the civic body said the village booths would be auctioned under Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952. Earlier, the Act applied only to the city. However, since the villages have come under MC jurisdiction, its provisions allow the auction of booths there on freehold, lease or rent basis.
The previous auction of booths in the city was conducted two years ago.
The occupants of the booths pay monthly rent at the moment. Civic body officials plan to lease them out for 99 years. However, mayor Kamlesh has been opposing that move even as most of the paperwork regarding it has been carried out and the matter will be tabled in the MC house during its upcoming meeting this month.
Sources said village booths were rented out through gram panchayats and the monthly rent for them was between Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 only. The rent for subway booths, however, is between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.
An MC official said, ‘Most of the subway booths are involved in litigation, so we are planning to lease them out. The mayor is objecting to that and the decision is therefore pending.’
Another senior official of the civic body said the village booths would be auctioned under Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952. Earlier, the Act applied only to the city. However, since the villages have come under MC jurisdiction, its provisions allow the auction of booths there on freehold, lease or rent basis.
The previous auction of booths in the city was conducted two years ago.
