Tall promises fall short amid MC's fiscal crisis

Dhalor had to face opposition from councillors, including those from his party, as development projects in their wards were stalled

- Mandeep Kaur Narula

CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party's Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, 38, who was appointed Chandigarh mayor on February 20, 2024, after the Supreme Court intervened in the ballot-tampering fiasco, started out with tall promises of free parking and free water but fell short of implementing them due to the ₹200-crore deficit that crippled the municipal corporation's functioning.

Dhalor's term was also overshadowed by bureaucratic and administrative resistance as his requests for financial aid to run development projects were ignored. The UT administration's refusal to extend financial aid to the MC despite his repeated requests left the corporation cash-strapped. His proposal of transferring the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) to the MC was also turned down.

Out in the cold

Though INDIA bloc members, comprising councillors of the AAP and the Congress, approved free water and free parking for Chandigarh residents, then UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit rejected the proposals, terming them financially unviable.

AAP councillors say Dhalor faced resistance from the BJP-led UT administration as Purohit had refused to meet him, and he was excluded from key city functions. A part of his tenure was affected by the imposition of the model code of conduct for the June 1 Lok Sabha elections, that ate into time for policy implementation.

On the wrong foot

Another challenge came with the unearthing of a ₹4-crore fake job scam in the civic body. A former sanitation worker, Simal Khairwal, 26, was arrested for duping 400 aspirants by promising them jobs of sanitation workers in the MC.

UT administrator Kataria questioned the recruitment of outsourced and contractual staff in the MC. Official data showed 1,161 employees were hired during seven months of Dhalor's term. This unexpected spike left councillors from all political parties, including Dhalor, baffled.

Councillors critical