The Indian Express 04.12.2013
‘Top’ architects to build Panchkula MC office
After operating from a community centre for the past twelve years, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) will finally have an office of it's own.
The MC will invite 'top' architects to construct the office building at the finalised site in Sector 3 here. While the MC will soon get the possession of the land where the building will come up from Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), it will open the tenders for it's construction on December 12.
While the MC is currently functioning from the Sector 4 community centre, it has been allotted 1.85 acres by HUDA at Devinagar, Sector 3 for Rs 10. 48 crore. MC has already paid 25 per cent of the amount, Rs 2.62 crore to HUDA as the earnest money for it. "The tenders will be opened on December 12, and soon the construction of the building will start. The construction would take about two years, after which we will vacate the current premises," said O P Sihag, Executive Engineer. We have invited tenders from architects with minimum ten years of experience and who has more than five big private or government buildings to his name, he added.
The MC also plans to make its new home an eco-friendly one. "The building will have an integrated rain water harvesting system and will also have solar panels installed. There would be more such green initiatives, and the building would be on the lines of the energy-efficient Akshay Urja Bhawan, office of the Renewable Energy Department and Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) in Secor 17," Sihag informed.
Moving into a new building would, however, be a costly affair for the MC. Other than the Rs 10.48 crore to be pad for the plot, the construction is estimated to cost around Rs 7 crore. In it's 2013 budget, the MC had set aside Rs 5 crore for the construction and the repair of the office building. "The construction of the building would be for once and for all and we plan to make it a striking building. This might even require revising the budget for it next year," Sihag said.
The MC had received flak from residents of Sector 4 for not vacating the community centre. It has been functioning from the community centre since 2001. In October, the Resident Welfare Association, Sector 4 had filed a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court asking MC to vacate the centre. The MC had then assured the High court that it would vacate the centre within two years as it had already been allotted land for its new building.
