Indian Express 23.04.2010
Sec 17 parking: Councillors see red in CITCO’s green move to scuttle construction
VARINDER BHATIA Tags : corporation, parking Posted: Friday , Apr 23, 2010 at 0010 hrs
Chandigarh: A view of the lawn and parking of Hotel Shivalikview in Sector 17 of Chandigarh, a prime property managed by CITCO. The corporation has been earning profits by renting out the land for weddings, functions and commercial events. (Below) A copy of the letter Vikram Joy
In its letter to MC Commissioner, CITCO says, ‘parking may not be useful’
After encroaching upon government land for nearly two decades and earning profits by letting it out for weddings and other commercial events, CITCO (Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation) is now virtually seeking ownership rights for the encroached land “to save the green cover”. So much so that it has scuttled construction of the parking lot in Sector 17.
In a communication from CITCO, on behalf of Managing Director D K Tiwari to Municipal Corporation Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria (a copy of which is with the Newsline), the corporation said “development of parking in this area (Sector 17) may not be useful”.
In the last Finance and Control Committee (F&CC) meeting on November 13, 2009, the Municipal Corporation passed an estimate of Rs 35 lakh for development of the parking area. Sources say the move was initiated on the instructions of Chairman, CITCO, Ram Niwas, who is also the secretary, local government, under which the MC functions. “Technically, both the departments fall under Niwas and development of the parking area would have hurt CITCO’s interests,” a senior official of Municipal Corporation seeking anonymity said.
Hotel Shivalikview, a prime property managed by CITCO in Sector 17 had encroached upon the said plot for nearly two decades. It has been earning profits by renting out the land for marriage, functions and other events and has been using a portion of the land for its parking. Recently, it even rented out the lawn for a Baisakhi food festival
According to the estate office records, Block no. 18 shown in the map is a separate block. Hotel Shivalikview has, however, encroached on a prime chunk of the block and developed the green cover and a parking lot. Sources disclosed that while the estate office, which is the custodian of the plot, had even issued a notice to CITCO for vacating the land, the move was pushed under the carpet on the instructions of a senior official of the administration.
In case of events organised at Parade Ground, which is opposite Block no. 18, the area is used for public parking and the organiser is supposed to pay Rs 5,000 per day as parking charges to the estate office. With CITCO’s new plans to develop Hotel Shivalikview’s basement as nightclub and lounge bar, there would be no parking space left for the hotel staff.
Sources said MC Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria and CITCO MD
D K Tiwari inspected the site on Monday, where the parking lot was coming up and stopped the work.
Tiwari said, “We have requested the MC to construct the parking area behind Shivalikview so that it could be used by our staff too. We have only asked them not to touch the green cover.”
On being asked on what locus standi CITCO refused others to touch the green cover, Tiwari said, “We have been managing the green cover and thus we asked the MC not to spoil it. We have also been managing the cricket stadium roundabout.”
He also clarified that the corporation charged for the banquet facilities extended to the lawn.
Despite repeated attempts, Chairman, CITCO, Ram Niwas was not available for comments.
Municipal Councillor Chandermukhi Sharma questioned CITCO rights on the encroached land. “How can they scuttle the development of parking? Nobody can change the allotted work, unless of some exigency. Moreover the F&CC is the competent authority in this case, since work has already been allotted to the contractor,” he said.
Even the MC commissioner is not competent to change the status of drawing on the parking lot, which has already been approved by the Chief Architect, UT. The commissioner had approved the estimate for the parking, before it was placed at the F&CC meeting,” Sharma added.
“The Chandigarh Administration has already approved the drawing for the parking area, which was being constructed at a cost of Rs 35 lakh. How can CITCO or anybody else stop work? What is the use of the F&CC or Municipal Corporation’s House, if the commissioner or bureaucrats are to run the show?” questioned another senior councillor.
Shivalikview row: CITCO clears the air
CHANDIGARH: In the ongoing controversy between tenants of Hotel Shivalikview and CITCO, the UT Administration on Thursday said it will not disrupt the water, electricity or air-conditioning facilities. In a statement, it was said that the facilities were being provided without disturbing any of the tenants, including former mayor Pradeep Chhabra. It said no CITCO official had acted in an arbitrary manner to forcibly evict Chhabra
