Haryana cabinet okays P’kula MC bifurcation

PANCHKULA: A decade after merger, the Haryana cabinet on Monday approved the separation of Kalka and Pinjore from the limits of Panchkula municipal corporation and creation of a separate common municipal council for the two towns and 33 villages.

The Panchkula civic body will comprise of the erstwhile council and 21 villages.

“A common municipal body for Kalka and Pinjore area will be highly convenient for the (locals) to avail various municipal services at a convenient nearest place, which will reduce time, distance and cost,” said a government spokesperson.

According to local leaders, the decision is a win-win for all.

The corporation was set up in March 2010 by merging the municipal council of Panchkula and municipal committees of Pinjore and Kalka. Though the move was opposed in court, the first mayor was elected in June 2013 after a Supreme Court decision.

In December 2017, a panel led by Ambala divisional commissioner Vivek Joshi recommended bifurcation of the corporation. According to the panel report, both Kalka and Pinjore have separate administrative and police structure. It is not fair for people of those areas to depend upon the corporation that has its head office miles away in Panchkula, the report stated.

The report suggested that both Kalka and Pinjore could have a council as the population of both the towns along with villages was 1.28 lakh. The council status requires a population above 1 lakh.

Similarly, the Panchkula corporation could sustain on its own since it had projected population of 3.31 lakh along with villages in its catchment, sufficient to have the corporation status.

The report was sent to the local bodies department, and then to the state cabinet, which decided in its favour during a meeting in Panchkula on Monday.

Gian Chand Gupta, local MLA and speaker of the legislative assembly, said: “It’s a welcome decision. I was consistently highlighting this issue for the last two years. The Panchkula MC was overburdened with the additional work of Kalka and Pinjore. It slowed down the city’s development works.”

Former mayor Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia said: “The council might face funding issues, but as long as municipal officials are honest and hardworking, work will continue.”