Chandigarh: The city’s persistent waterlogging woes, delays in civic works and allegations of a monopoly by a handful of contractors triggered heated discussions during the municipal corporation’s monthly general house meeting on Friday. The floor witnessed stormy scenes, with councillors openly questioning the functioning of the engineering wing and demanding accountability for unfinished projects.Discussing civic works across different wards, several councillors alleged that many projects are allotted but do not begin on the ground for months. They attributed delays to repeated tendering exercises for individual works and a limited pool of contractors participating in MC projects.Some councillors alleged a nexus between certain contractors and engineering officials, claiming that extensions were repeatedly granted despite works not being completed on time.A few councillors claimed that multiple contractors were discouraged from participating in MC tenders, which resulted in contracts being awarded to selected firms. They said this affects competition, slows down project implementation and delays benefits to residents.Taking note of the concerns, the mayor and chief engineer directed engineering officials to blacklist contractors who fail to start works on time and repeatedly seek extensions. Although senior officials presented reasons for delays in some projects, a large number of councillors expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations.The issue of poor drainage infrastructure, clogged road gullies and waterlogging, particularly in the southern sectors, also figured prominently in the discussions. AAP councillor Hardeep Singh, BJP councillor Kanwarjeet Singh Rana and Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh raised concerns over the recurring problem and pressed for strengthening the city’s drainage system to ensure faster flow of rainwater during the monsoon season.Responding to the concerns, officials said hotspot areas prone to waterlogging had been identified. They informed the house that some issues could be addressed immediately, while others would require detailed studies before implementation.Officials also informed councillors about a pilot project involving a Delhi-based company that would detect leakages in underground lines without digging up roads. If the project proves successful, it will be replicated across the city to reduce excavation during underground leakage repairs.On the issue of cleaning road gullies, officials stated that Chandigarh has 30,453 road gullies. To clean them, 75 workers were engaged from May for six months under a Rs 1.1crore contract. However, several councillors remained dissatisfied with the current cleaning arrangements and called for regular monitoring to ensure effective maintenance and prevent waterlogging during rains.
