CHANDIGARH, Nov 27— The Municipal Corporation has released more than ₹50 lakh to 114 residents welfare associations (RWAs) for maintaining neighbourhood parks, though most groups say seven months of payments are still due.
The information will be placed before the MC General House on November 28 in response to questions raised by BJP councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu, who said he had been receiving repeated complaints.
“In most cases, payments have only been made till March,” Sidhu said. “This clearly shows that seven months are still pending.”
Many RWAs say delays over the past year have left them struggling to maintain parks. Some have already surrendered the work after receiving no funds for months, leaving several parks in poor condition.
“The MC should immediately clear all RWA dues,” said Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman of FOSWAC, which represents more than 80 associations. The federation had also written to the MC Chief Engineer last month.
Residents say the impact is visible. “The condition of parks in many sectors is pathetic,” said R.K. Garg of Sector 27.
Hitesh Puri, chairman of CRAWFED, said RWAs linked with his federation maintain nearly 45 percent of the city’s neighbourhood parks and are also facing delays. “Without timely payments, it becomes very difficult,” he said.
Sidhu said the entire purpose of involving residents in park upkeep would collapse if payments were not released regularly. The MC provides a fixed monthly amount to RWAs for maintenance.
