CHANDIGARH, April 16 — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillors in Chandigarh have accused the UT Administration of financial negligence and administrative indifference, as the Municipal Corporation grapples with a deepening fund crisis that has stalled city development projects.
At a meeting held on Tuesday at the BJP office in Sector 33, councillors discussed escalating concerns over the financial paralysis and weighed drastic steps, including submitting a collective resignation to the Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator. “If elected representatives have no say, what is the point of holding office?” said Jatinder Pal Malhotra, the party’s local unit president, who chaired the meeting.
Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla and a majority of the 16 BJP councillors attended the closed-door session. The participants accused the UT Administration of adopting an “undemocratic attitude” and sidelining the Municipal Corporation in key fiscal matters.
Councillors claimed that development work across the city—including repairs to roads, footpaths, and public parks—had come to a halt. One of the councillors present noted, “The situation on the ground is worsening daily, and basic civic upkeep is suffering.”
The representatives also raised concerns about the condition of community centres and public toilets, asserting that maintenance had been severely disrupted due to lack of funds. “It’s become impossible to function. The electorate expects delivery, not excuses,” Malhotra remarked.
In addition to the fund shortage, councillors expressed outrage over recent hikes in collector rates and property tax, calling the increases “one-sided” and “unjustified.” They alleged the decisions were made without consulting elected officials. “The Administration is acting unilaterally, completely ignoring the voices of public representatives,” said another councillor, requesting anonymity.
The councillors warned that if the deadlock persists, it may erode public trust ahead of elections. The party leadership has sought urgent intervention from the Administrator to restore the flow of funds and uphold democratic processes within the civic framework.
