PANCHKULA, Oct 7— Bringing festive relief to residents, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) has announced a 50% rebate in interest on pending property tax for all residential and commercial units. The decision was taken during the MC’s General House meeting held on Monday, alongside several other measures aimed at easing financial burdens and improving civic services.
According to officials, the House approved a major reduction in the booking rates for community centres, depending on their size. Centres spread over more than an acre will now cost ₹11,000 to book instead of ₹21,000, while those smaller than one acre will cost ₹5,000, down from ₹11,000. For MC employees and individuals hosting religious events, an additional 50% rebate will apply to the booking fee.
Continuing previous relief measures, the House also extended the garbage tax exemption for the financial year 2025–26, maintaining the waiver that was in place for 2023–24 and 2024–25. Property tax exemptions have also been approved for all dharmashalas, bhawans, and temples for the coming financial year.
In a move to strengthen public transport, the MC announced the launch of new air-conditioned (AC) bus services. Five AC buses will ferry school and college students throughout the day, while another fleet will cater to religious tourism. “AC buses will soon be deployed for pilgrims visiting shrines like Mansa Devi, Chandi Mata, Kalka Mata, Nada Sahib, and Trilokpur temples,” an official said.
The House also cleared several development proposals. These include imposing a nominal ₹2 per square metre fee on park committees, constructing a new rest house and bhawan at Mansa Devi temple, and building a banquet hall next to the existing community centre in Sector 9. A development plan was also finalised for vacant land in the villages of Kot and Billa.
MC Commissioner R.K. Singh said the revised community centre rates would not impact the corporation’s finances. “The charges were already nominal, so the reduction will not affect MC’s revenue,” he mentioned. Singh added that the garbage tax exemption proposal would be sent to the state government for approval, as the tax currently contributes little to MC’s income.
However, some residents expressed concerns about refunds from previous years. S.K. Nayar, president of the Panchkula Citizens’ Welfare Association, said that despite the government’s waiver of garbage collection charges for 2023–24 and 2024–25, the amounts paid by residents have neither been refunded nor adjusted. “Earlier, the garbage tax was around ₹300 per month for a 10-marla house, which has now been reduced to ₹50, but residents who paid the earlier rates have not been compensated,” he said.
The House’s latest decisions, officials noted, aim to combine citizen relief with civic improvement — setting a festive tone for Panchkula’s residents this Diwali.
