e-tricity

To discuss civic issues in the city, the members of the executive committee meeting of the Federation of Sectors Welfare Association Chandigarh (FOSWAC) held a meeting with municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Anindita Mitra at the People Convention Centre, Sector 36, on Sunday.

During the meeting, the members appealed to the commissioner not to implement different parking rates for vehicles coming from neighbouring states, as this would create more problems for vehicles from Chandigarh going to other states.

The meeting, chaired by FOSWAC chairman Baljinder Singh Bittu, pointed out that after the recent floods, some weak spots that cause rainwater havoc every year have not been addressed properly.

Bittu further expressed dissatisfaction with the Smart Parking management system in the city and said despite big claims made during parking contract renewals, the reality turns out to be a scam. There is no evidence of Smart Parking lots on the ground.

General secretary JS Gogia highlighted that residents from many parts of the city were receiving muddy drinking water supply, indicating water contamination, which may lead to outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Sector 38 West Resident Welfare Association (RWA) president KS Chaudary, highlighting the issue of the Dadumajra dumping ground, said the garbage had been covered with curtains and asbestos sheets after the collapse of a boundary wall.

Sector 13 (duplex houses) RWA president KL Aggarwal said sanitation in their area was not up to mark due to lack of staff and equipment. He appealed to the commissioner to provide small sheds or arrangements to store the equipment of the gardeners deployed by the RWAs for the maintenance of neighbourhood parks.

Sector 21 Citizens' Association secretary Rajan Brar expressed concerns about the pathetic condition of the Sector-21 market, which is plagued by encroachments and the invasion of scooter/car mechanics.

The municipal commissioner assured the members that she will address all issues raised and requested their cooperation in the segregation of garbage.

FOSWAC opposes double parking fee for non-tricity vehicles

TriCity Family Services will host a 34th annual fundraising gala benefiting its mental health services at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Q Center, 1405 N. Fifth Ave. in St. Charles.

As the community calls for more accessible and more affordable mental health care, TriCity Family Services has maintained its role as Kane County's leading provider of mental health services for clients of all ages and all income levels.

TriCity Family Services has been able to provide counseling and other pro-mental health services at affordable rates since 1967 because of the generosity and involvement of local donors, funders, and partners.

TriCity Family Services invites their supporters to join them as they highlight the dedication of their counselors and resilience of their clients at an evening gala fundraiser. This year's theme is "Let in the Brightness," a call to inspire hope through the funding of mental health care access.

Attendees will enjoy a delicious dinner and drinks, live music, stories from staff and former clients of TriCity Family Services, games, raffles, and auctions all while supporting the mental health mission of the organization. Guests are asked to bring their brightness to Q Center that night by wearing their most colorful cocktail attire.

"Our annual gala is our largest fundraising event of the year and affords us the opportunity to celebrate our Golden Heart winners and to thank our neighbors, donors, funders, sponsors and partners," said Sarah Russe, director of Development at TriCity Family Services.

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TriCity Family Services will honor the philanthropy of its three 2023 Golden Heart Award winners during the evening's program: John and Donna Lengle, FT Cares Foundation and Congregational United Church of Christ.

The event is made possible thanks to TriCity Family Services' Corporate Partners in Caring -- The Ivy Academy, FT Cares Foundation, Nicor Gas, McFona International, Sterling Bank, Mason Faith & Hoscheit, K. Hollis Jewelers--as well as event sponsors Caterpillar Inc. and Lindon Oaks Behavioral Health.

"We hope you will join us as we 'Let in the Brightness' and raise the funds needed to keep mental health care affordable and accessible to our community," said Laura Poss, executive director of TriCity Family Services.

Individual tickets ($150) and tables of 10 ($1,500) can be purchased online at TCFS23.givesmart.com with discounted early bird pricing ($125/individual ticket and $1,100/table of 10) available through Aug. 11.

Sponsorship and advertisement opportunities are available until Aug. 18. Contact Kelsey Boyer at kboyer@tricityfamilyservices.org or (630) 232-1070, ext. 114, with any questions or to purchase tickets, sponsorships, or ads via phone or mail.

TriCity Family Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community mental health agency that has been serving the Geneva, St. Charles, Batavia, North Aurora and surrounding area in Kane County since 1967.

On a mission to provide quality mental health services that are accessible to all, TriCity Family Services offers counseling, Family-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders, a Wilderness Challenge Program, psychiatric services, emotional wellness workshops and support groups, and employee assistance programs at affordable rates. Many types of insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare are accepted at TriCity Family Services and counseling is available in both English and Spanish. More information can be found at tricityfamilyservices.org.

TriCity Family Services to host 34th annual gala for mental health Sept. 9

On the edge over the murder of two cab drivers in Mohali over the past three months, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers have decided to go off roads on August 10, when the Cab Auto Union Front will also launch an indefinite hunger strike in Sector 25 to draw attention to their safety concerns.

Five leaders of the front will go on hunger strike, while other members will stall cab and auto-rickshaw services in support. Around 8,000 cabs ply in the tricity, serving professionals, students, senior citizens, tourists and shoppers alike.

The front, which includes taxi and auto unions of the tricity, has voiced discontent with both the civic administration and private cab companies for ignoring their safety.

Union spokesperson Inderjit Singh said the companies' negligence had exposed them to potential criminal conspiracies. He underscored the unchecked operation of vehicles with private licence plates, which had put law-abiding drivers in jeopardy.

He said the sluggish police response to the recent murder of cab driver Dharampal in Mullanpur had heightened drivers' anxieties. On July 31, Dharampal, 35, was stabbed to death by a robber who intended to make off with his car.

On May 3, through a similar modus operandi, two Class-4 employees of a private hospital in Mohali had stabbed a cab driver to death after booking a ride and dumped his body in a manhole before driving off with the vehicle.

Cab, auto drivers on strike in Chandigarh tricity from August 10

A holiday on August 15 means you should get freedom from cooking, too! And with multiple Independence Day offers and discounts, restaurants across tricity are all set to treat you to some mouth-watering delicacies and spreads. From specially curated menus to tricolour-themed dishes, there's no dearth of deals for foodies to mark India's 77th Independence Day.

ChaiWala is offering 20% discount on its entire menu till August 15 and is also giving out Tricolour brooches to all the customers, says manager Satish Verma.

The LaLiT, Chandigarh is also offering an exclusive 25% discount to people to escape daily life for a perfect long weekend experience. The offer will include luxurious accommodation, buffet breakfast, 15% off on food and soft beverages, and 15% off on spa & laundry services.

Hungry Wok's Sanam Negi says their chef has come up with a range of desi Chinese and Thai dishes to pay tributes to the rich spices of India. "Our chefs have also come up with some colourful dimsum platters to represent the diversity and culture of India," Negi adds.

It's not only raining discounts and deals, but eateries are coming up with special tricoloured dishes as well.

"We have come up with a whole range of tricolour-themed baked goodies. From tricolour macaroons to Tiranga cupcakes and cookies, the customers have a lot of choices available to celebrate the day," says Armaan Kharbanda, of Baked With Love.

"Apart from the Indian flag welcoming people on each table, we have a tricolour mocktail as part of the special Independence Day lunch buffet. The spread, which is themed around the Tricolour, includes popular dishes from across country, and priced at ₹550 per person (excluding taxes). Along with the Tiranga Pulao, the buffet has a variety of chaaps, tikkas and kebabs, vibrantly coloured street food varieties, and a sumptuous main course including classic dishes such as butter chicken, navratan korma and palak khumb," shares Arpan Kaur, of Delicious Delights.

"We are offering a range of tricolour-themed pasta dishes this Independence Day. Each variety includes freshly prepared pasta with a blend of flavours, textures and colour using in-house orange, white and green sauces," adds Vandana Chahal, of Cafe Bakehouse.

Darpan Sweets has come up with a Tiranga special sweets menu which includes Tirangi peda, Tiranga cham cham, Tiranga soan papdi, Tiranga rasgullas, Tiranga Karachi halwa, and much more, says their staffer Harbans Singh.

I-Day: Tricolour-themed treats are up for grabs in tricity

Purohit, who was the chief guest at the event, emphasised the values of honesty, transparency and efficiency, and urged everyone to embrace these principles across all aspects of life.

He highlighted the successful execution of the Electric Vehicle Policy in Chandigarh, noting that the policy provided financial incentives to applicants across different categories, encouraging widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

Notably, more than 100 diesel buses have been replaced with electric ones, marking a significant shift towards sustainable transportation. Going forward, government departments will exclusively procure electric vehicles.

Chandigarh has also unveiled a 7.5-km Green Non-Motorised Transport Corridor. Designed to facilitate pedestrians and cyclists, this corridor ensures a dedicated path, promoting safety and eco-friendliness throughout the city. Additionally, plans for another Non-Motorised Transport Corridor are currently in progress.

Purohit said, "I have instructed my team to promptly address the backlog of refuse-derived fuel at the Dadumajra site. I assure the residents of Dadumajra that we are committed to expediting this process and effectively managing disposal of remaining legacy waste from the mining site."

Later, the administrator paid tribute at the War Memorial in Bougainvillea Garden. UT adviser Dharam Pal, UT home secretary Nitin Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, Chandigarh DGP Praveer Ranjan, along with other senior officials from the administration and police, were also in attendance.

Comprehensive mobility plan a significant development for tricity, says Chandigarh administrator on I-Day

The directive came during the Administrator's Advisory Council Meeting, held at Hotel Mountview on Friday.

Purohit said there can't be disparity in the parking rates for tricity residents and those living outside. "Chandigarh should set an example of parity," said the governor, while directing city mayor Anup Gupta and MC commissioner Anindita Mitra to charge equal parking fees across the board.

Speaking later during a press conference with UT adviser Dharam Pal, mayor Anup Gupta said, "As per administrator's suggestions, we will review the parking project in the next House meeting."

During the general House meeting on July 25, the Chandigarh MC had imposed a marginal fee hike for tricity cars, but decided to double the fee for cars registered outside the tricity.

MC had also decided to waive parking fee for all two-wheelers and electric four-wheelers (up to March 31, 2027).

Currently, the civic body charges ₹7 for two-wheelers and ₹14 for four-wheelers, irrespective of the vehicles' registration number.

The MC House had also approved monthly passes for locals. For non-commercial four wheelers, ₹300 were planned for monthly pass for single or multiple entries in a day up to 12 hours (for specific parking). For commercial four-wheelers, the monthly pass' cost was set at ₹800.

Though the mayor had claimed that the plan was aimed at decongesting the city's parking lots and generate more revenue for the civic body, the policy had evoked strong opposition from political parties from Punjab and Haryana.

Cutting across all party lines, political leaders from the two states had termed MC's policy as discriminatory and illegal, while reminding the civic body that Chandigarh is the capital of two states.

The leaders had opined that it was an unprecedented and retrograde decision to discriminate among people of different states of the country on a state-to-state basis.

The revised parking rates were approved by the 35-member MC House, where the BJP has a clear majority with 14 councillors, one more than AAP's 13. The Congress has seven seats and the SAD one. The fee hike decision was supported by both the BJP and the Congress.

However, it invited criticism even from Haryana Assembly speaker and BJP leader Gian Chand Gupta, and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who even wrote to Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit, urging him to revoke MC's decision.

"Every family in Chandigarh has traces in Punjab and Haryana. Several people living in Chandigarh have four-wheelers registered in various districts of Punjab and Haryana, and even from other states. Chandigarh MC must take this decision back," Warring had said.

Chandigarh administrator says no to double parking fee for non-tricity vehicles

Heavy overnight rain threw life out of gear in Chandigarh and its adjoining towns of Panchkula and Mohali, leaving several areas waterlogged.

The Union Territory recorded 84mm of rain on Wednesday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Rain will continue through the day and is likely to recede from Thursday.

Also read: Himachal rain: Migrant couple found dead in Shimla, IMD issues flash flood warning

The IMD had issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the tricity around 5am. Till 5.30am, 47mm of rainfall had been recorded at the IMD observatory in Sector 39, Chandigarh, while till 8.30am, 84mm of rainfall had been recorded.

The minimum temperature fell from 28.3 degrees on Tuesday to 24.6 degrees on Wednesday due to the rain.

IMD Chandigarh director Manmohan Singh said, "While a western disturbance is active in the region, the rain is primarily due to the monsoon system. A cyclonic circulation had formed over the Bay of Bengal and after crossing central India, it travelled north-westwards and affected our region."

The monsoon trough is passing over northern Punjab. A comparatively low-pressure area was formed, leading to this rain.

While light to moderate showers are likely to continue during the day, the chances of rain will decrease from Thursday.

Panchkula recorded 39.5mm of rainfall, while Mohali got 33.5mm.

In Haryana, 79.5mm of rainfall was recorded in Mahendragarh, 68.5mm in Yamunanagar and 53.2mm in Ambala.

Punjab received relatively lesser rain with 37.4mm of rainfall in Ballowal Saunkhri, 35mm in Fatehgarh Sahib and 33.5mm in Balachaur.

Chandigarh tricity records heavy rain, several areas waterlogged

Dogs, true to the saying, are a man's best friend and prove their mettle, time and again. So, don't you think they too deserve to be cherished and pampered?

On International Dog Day (August 26), take out time from your busy life to appreciate and love your pooches at tricity's pet-friendly spots and dog salons or visit your nearest animal shelters to volunteer and spend time with these fur balls.

Furever Friends

This Panchkula-based NGO works at rescuing and providing medical care to stray dogs across tricity. The organisation also helps in fostering the animals and getting them adopted. "Around 150 volunteers work with us across the region. We also runs a free of cost 24x7 ambulance service to help stray dogs. We always welcome more volunteers," says Sakshi Sharma, a volunteer.

The Pet Nest

You can book grooming services, from spa bath to full body haircut, to clipping your dog's nails, from a standard bath and blow dry to full service grooming, as per your dog's requirements with them. The variety of packages starts at ₹899. "They also offer free online vet consultation after a grooming session. What's best, is you can book an experienced pet groomer to come to your home and so the needful," says Vedika Sachdeva, owner of an Indie, Buzo.

Pet Vanity

It is a pet grooming salon on wheels. They are the first professional pet groomers with a mobile van in the tricity area and offer their services anywhere in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. "They provide a range of services for pets. Their van is equipped with expert grooming stylists with years of experience. Their door-to-door 60-minute service is convenient, time-saving and safe," says Ansh Walia, who owns a poodle, Matilda.

Dogizza

It was the first dog café in tricity. You can spot canines wagging their tail and dog lovers all around at this rooftop space in Zirakpur. A server at the café says the aim is to provide endless fun, love, care, healthy lifestyle and balanced diet to these furry beings. You can visit this space with your dogs at any time of the day to have fun and relieve stress. Also, the dog bakery here is a must visit!

Animal Welfare Association

This Panchkula-based voluntary group is actively involved in rescue and care of sick, injured or homeless animals. They lend help in sterilisation and vaccination drives, and hold awareness campaigns for animal rights.

Flying Fur

This is another mobile pet salon providing services in tricity. "Our truck is equipped hot and cold running water for a comfortable bathing experience for you pooches, heat and air for easy drying, a full-sized tub, and an adjustable grooming table. We provide personal attention to your pet in a quiet, stress-free setting. Our mobile salon is perfect for senior pets, or those experience car sickness, or the one's that suffer separation anxiety, said pet groomer Kaushik.

Café Nine Quarters

If you want to have a "paw-some" time with your pet, head to Café Nine Quarters (Panchkula), the only Harry Potter-themed café in tricity. You can distress by playing with their in-house pet dog, Barfi, while sipping on butter beer. You can also take your pet to the café for a memorable day out.

Dog's day out: Tricity edition

As India prepares to face Pakistan in the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023 showdown, fans across tricity are all set to embrace the cricket fervour. Numerous eateries, breweries and clubs in the region are hosting live broadcast of the match, and providing a plethora of offers on food and beverages.

"We are expecting a good footfall tomorrow. There will be live screening of the match on our premises with good range of food with customisable fillings and beverage pitchers with refill option," says Nishant Tyagi, of Taco Bell, Chandigarh.

"The match is sure to draw more crowd for us. Apart from live screening of the match, we will be offering 20% discount on all orders," says Naresh Kapoor, of Score Lounge and Bar.

The Great Bear, Kamaa Cafe, and Gymkhana Club are holding live screening of the match but there's no special offer on food or beverages planned as of now.

"India versus Pakistan match is an emotion! The legendary rivalry on the field makes the matches worth watching. So, of course we are planning a live screening. Apart from that we also have two offers for our customers. First one is four mugs of beer and a pizza for just ₹999; and the second one is a 15% cashback on food and beverage orders. Both offers are mutually exclusive and cannot be clubbed," says Sumeer Sondhi, of Pyramid Lounge.

Neeraj Kharb, of Ministry of Bar Exchange, Panchkula says they too plan to hold live screening of the match, "We are expecting a good response as tricity folks are huge cricket fans. We are offering a 30% off flat on the total bill at the Panchkula branch where the screening will be held."

Tricity cricket fans all set to bleed blue

In addition, the three administrations decided to assign RITES the task of compiling a DPR and AAR for the Metro project.

During a meeting on Tuesday (18 July), the governments of Punjab and Haryana, along with representatives from the Chandigarh administration, revised and approved the Metro network plan for the Tricity -- Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

The length of the network for the first phase was increased from 66 kilometre to approximately 77 kilometre.

During the meeting, both the Punjab and Haryana governments suggested expanding Phase-1 of the Metro to include more areas.

As a result, an additional 6-kilometre stretch from Paroul in New Chandigarh to Sarangpur, and a 5-kilometre stretch from Panchkula ISBT to Panchkula Extension in Sector-20, were approved to be included in Phase-1 of the project, reports Indian Express.

Earlier, only 66 kilometre were planned, but now major destinations in the city that were deemed necessary have been included.

The Chandigarh administration decided on 5 July to involve all stakeholders -- including Punjab and Haryana -- in the preparation of the alternative analysis report (AAR) and detailed project report (DPR) for the Tricity metro project.

In addition, the three administrations decided to assign RITES the task of compiling a DPR and an AAR for the Metro project.

A senior official from the union territory administration stated that most of the project will be above ground, but the final decision will be made during the preparation of the DPR.

The preparation of the detailed project report for the Metro project is estimated to cost around Rs 6.54 crore, according to the RITES. The report is expected to be completed by March 2024, after which further permissions will be sought to commence construction.

In terms of funding, it has been decided that the states will contribute 20 per cent of the project cost, the Centre will contribute 20 per cent, and the remaining 60 per cent will be financed by a lending agency.

The tentative overall cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 10,570 crore.

This development follows the approval given to the long-awaited Tricity metro project by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in June.

The first phase, scheduled for development between 2027 and 2037, will include three proposed routes, as per The Tribune report.

Tricity Metro: Authority Extends Phase-I Corridor By 11 Kilometre To Include Key Destinations In Project's Network 

While owners of two-wheelers and electric vehicles have a reason to rejoice as the Chandigarh municipal corporation has waived off parking fee for them, four-wheeler owners, especially those owning outstation registration numbers, are in for some bad news. The parking rates for four-wheelers with tricity-based registration numbers have been hiked marginally, while those owning outstation numbers will pay double the amount (see box).

This is for the first time that Chandigarh will charge double the rates for outstation vehicles.

The decisions were taken in General House meeting held on Tuesday. At present, the civic body charges ₹7 for two-wheelers and ₹14 for four-wheelers, irrespective of the registration numbers and state. But as per the approved project, parking for non-commercial and non-electric four-wheelers registered within tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula) as well as commercial three-wheelers in MC's paid parking lots will be free for the first 15 minutes. But a ₹15 fee, up from current ₹14, will be levied for vehicles parked for 16 minutes to four hours. If the vehicle remains parked for four to eight hours, ₹20 will be charged but beyond that time, an additional charge of ₹10 per hour will be imposed.

In the parking lots near Elante Mall and Fun Republic, car owners of tricity will have to pay as much as ₹ 70 for the first four hours whereas the charges will increase to ₹130 for four to eight hours. An additional ₹20/hr will be charged if the car is parked for over eight hours.

In parking lots near Piccadly mall, ₹50 will be charged till four hours, ₹70 from four hours to eight hours and ₹20 every hour after eight hours. However, all these charges will be doubled for cars registered outside tricity, with parking being most expensive near Elante mall ( ₹140 for just four hours).

Also, as per the proposal, all types of two-wheelers, including electric vehicles, will be exempted from parking fee. Electric four-wheelers will also be exempted up to March 31, 2027, and thereafter prevailing fees will be applicable.

An additional ₹5 will be levied if payment is made through cash in case of non-commercial vehicles and ₹10 in case of commercial vehicles. MC has also proposed an increase of ₹10 in every slab after every three financial years for all categories of vehicles, except for monthly purposes.

The new charges will be levied only after the UT administration approves the project and once MC hires a private firm to convert all the 89 parking lots to smart parking lots.

More relief for locals on monthly passes: Mayor

City mayor Anup Gupta said, "For the locals, buying a monthly pass will be cheaper as compared to charges that will be levied daily. For non-commercial four wheelers, ₹300 will be charged for monthly pass for single or multiple entries in a day upto 12 hours (for single specific parking). For commercial four-wheelers, the monthly pass will cost ₹800."

No to setting up charging stations for EVs at MC parking lots

The Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) of the UT administration had requested the MC to allow installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and battery swapping stations at 44 parking lots in the city but the House rejected the agenda on Tuesday.

The councillors said that instead of 50% revenue, CREST should have offered 100% revenue to MC as it is their space and revenue loss will be faced if the space allotted for parking will be used for setting charging stations.

"Also, UT had not sought recommendations from the House before drafting EV policy," the councillors said while rejecting the agenda.

Nod for smart parking

The House also approved the smart-parking project, as part of which FASTag-enabled parking management system will be introduced at the 89 parking lots in the city. This will make the parking process smoother by eliminating the need for physical payment of parking fee and manning of entry points. At present, attendants issue parking slips and collect payments manually at all parking lots. Among other features proposed are automatic number plate recognition cameras to prevent vehicle theft and revenue loss. A mobile app is also on the cards to provide information about available parking space, along with a facility to pre-book a parking spot. Under the new system, boom barriers will open automatically when a vehicle approaches the entry point. At the time of exit, fee, based on parking duration, will be deducted through FASTag.

MC General House meet: Parking fee hiked, cars registered outside tricity to pay double the rate

CHANDIGARH: Owners of four-wheelers not registered in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali will have to pay double fee for parking their vehicles in paid parking lots of the municipal corporation (MC) that approved the new charges after reducing them nominally during its house meeting here on Tuesday.

The crucial agenda item was taken up after throwing out councillors of the main opposition party, AAP, from the assembly hall of the MC building on Tuesday.

The time for free parking will be 15 minutes instead of the proposed first 10 minutes. Parking for four-wheelers will be Rs 15 for 4 hours instead of the proposed Rs 20, while Rs 20 will be charged from 4 to 8 hours. The proposed charges for Elante and Fun Republic were reduced from Rs 90 to Rs 70. The monthly pass charges were decreased from the proposed Rs 500 to Rs 300.

Parking fee to double for non-Tricity cars | Chandigarh News - Times of India

PTC Web Desk: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday vehemently objected to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's (MC) move to levy double parking fees on cars registered outside the Tricity, which includes Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. The SAD insisted that the decision be promptly reversed without any delay.

In a tweet, SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema mentioned that the Shiromani Akali Dal had already expressed its opposition to the decision during the House Session, where the party's city president and municipal councilor, Hardeep Singh Buterla, strongly objected to the move.

"Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and daily thousands of people from the state visit the city for their official works. It will be an unnecessary penalty on all of them. SAD reminded UT Corp that this city was developed dislocating dozens of Punjab villages. So Corp should not behave in such a thankless way", the tweet reads.

"Moreover it is unprecedented & a retrograde decision to discriminate amongst people of different states of the country on state to state basis. Everybody visiting the city beautiful should be treated at par", Cheema said in his tweet.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House on Tuesday approved free parking for all kinds of two-wheelers as well as electric two and four-wheelers in its upcoming 91 smart paid parking lots. However, it allowed a marginal hike in car rates and made it double for vehicles registered outside the Tricity.

SAD opposes double parking fee for cars registered outside Tricity; seeks immediate reversal

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday wrote to governor Banwarilal Purohit, urging him to revoke the Chandigarh municipal corporation's decision to levy double parking fee for vehicles from outside the tricity.

During the House meeting on Tuesday, the Chandigarh MC had imposed a marginal fee hike for tricity cars, but decided to double the fee for cars registered outside the tricity. The new rates will be implemented following the UT administration's approval.

MC had also decided to waive parking fee for all two-wheelers and electric four-wheelers (up to March 31, 2027).

Currently, the civic body charges ₹7 for two-wheelers and ₹14 for four-wheelers, irrespective of the vehicles' registration number.

In his letter, Warring, while expressing deep anguish over the parking fee hike, said the Chandigarh MC's unilateral decision was prima facie discriminatory and the new rates were absolutely inequitable.

Lambasting the MC for the dictatorial move, Warring said it should have first discussed the proposal with the governor, who is also the UT administrator and the custodian of Chandigarh, before presenting it in MC House. "Since the move will adversely effect those commuting on a daily basis to Chandigarh to make a living, study, get medical treatment or for other chores, it is sad to see that the governor maintained studied silence on the issue of grave concern," he rued.

The Congress leader accused the BJP of its wilful attempts to undermine Punjab's claim over Chandigarh. He said Chandigarh was the capital of Punjab and it was absolutely unjust that the people of the state were being asked to shell out double parking fee.

Mohali deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi also condemned the fee hike and sought intervention of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann in the matter.

Bedi said Chandigarh was established on land carved out from villages of Punjab, adding that it was a matter of great misfortune that today the Chandigarh administration was betraying the people of Punjab. He said the BJP government at the centre talked big for the people of Punjab, but it was in fact conspiring against Punjab.

Chandigarh: Warring writes to Punjab governor against double parking fee for non-tricity vehicles

CHANDIGARH: Water supply of Chandigarh, Mohali, Panckhula and Chandimandir, which had been interrupted, will be restored from next week or the first week of August. The municipal corporation (MC) is all set to complete repair of the one of the main water supply pipelines in Punjab, which originates from Kajauli and caters to the Tricity. The phase 3 water supply pipeline was severely damaged during rainfall in the region a few weeks back, affecting water supply.

The Phase 3 pipeline supplies 20 MGD water to the Tricity. Chandigarh got most of the share at 14.5 MGD, Mohali got 2.5 MGD, while Panchkula and Chandimandir cantonment area got 1.5 MGD each every day. Since the pipeline was damaged, supply to all these areas was affected. The MC was forced to reduce water supply timings in both morning and evening.

"Around 90 meters of the phase 3 main water supply pipeline from Kajauli canal was damaged in the heavy rain. The pipeline was broken after a heavy tanker collided with the pipeline. Around 90 meters of the pipeline had to be replaced and the work took time. It is being done at a cost of around Rs 40 lakh," sources said. Due to this, morning supply has been reduced by half an hour from 3:30am to 8:30am instead of 9am, while evening supply has been cut for an hour from 5:30pm to 8pm instead of 9pm. The civic body authority had initiated work on war footing zone with the cooperation and coordination of the Punjab government. UT adviser Dharampal also visited the site. Punjab chief secretary Anurag Verma held a meeting with officials concerned of the Punjab government.

Water Supply: Water Supply In Tricity To Be Restored By Next Week | Chandigarh News - Times of India

Since July 18, when the extortion racket was busted, the cell has arrested a total of five gang members, including Deepu, who is a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, and his cousin Ravi Banur.

According to police, in the last six months, Ravi had collected around ₹50 lakh from various businessmen and investigators had so far found a documentary trail of around ₹30 lakh through his bank accounts.

"Ravi used to collect monthly protection money from various gamblers and extortion money from businessmen residing or operating in Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula and other parts of Haryana. He deposited the money in the account of a close relative of Deepu. We have already established the money trail and have thus written to ED to probe money laundering," a cop said.

Meanwhile, police have also nominated Bishnoi's close associate Kali Shooter in the extortion case. Kali, who is lodged in Patiala jail along with Deepu, will be brought on production warrant here this week. Police have leads that Kali has been collecting money for Bishnoi.

Kali is currently in the custody of Mohali CIA police, who brought him on production warrant to investigate a weapon recovery case. Earlier, Deepu was brought to Chandigarh on production warrant from Patiala jail on July 25.

How the racket was unearthed

Through technical support, police initially got leads that both Deepu and Kali, despite being lodged in Patiala jail, were in contact with their associates in Mohali and Chandigarh, and also making threat calls to their targets, who either denied or got late in paying extortion money.

After zeroing in on the people who were in contact with Deepu and Kali, police nabbed a 22-year-old gambler who disclosed that Deepu and Kali were collecting monthly protection money from gamblers and liquor smugglers, and extorting money from traders.

Besides Deepu's cousin, police have also arrested his muscleman Amandeep Singh, alias Mani Topi, and gang's financier Rakesh Kania, who earlier ran a gambling circle in Bapu Dham Colony, Chandigarh, and was now operating from Nayagaon.

Extortion racket in tricity: Chandigarh Police ask ED to step in

Commuters were left to face the brunt as taxi drivers from across the tricity went on a strike in protest against the murder of their colleague, Dharampal, who was stabbed in the throat by some unidentified passengers in the Mullanpur area on Monday.

Scores of commuters who travel by cabs, meanwhile, were left to wait for long hours, while a few were left stranded altogether when drivers ended the trips midway.

Gaurav Gupta, who was commuting from Ludhiana, said the taxi he was travelling in was stopped midway. He was asked to step down after protesters managed to convince his driver to join the protest. "I was in the middle of nowhere and had to walk for several minutes before finally getting an auto to reach Mohali," Gupta said

Cab traffic in parts of Kharar, especially on the highway, came to a standstill, with drivers stepping out to protest and seeking speedy arrest of the accused. A section of taxi drivers demanded a ban on the app-based taxi services.

Parminder Singh and Jaspreet Singh, both leaders of a taxi drivers' association that was on protest, reasoned, "Cases of robbery, snatching and murder are rising with drivers associated with online car booking services."

Taxis were also seen lining up by the roadside to express solidarity with the deceased in some areas. Some of the drivers raised slogans and halted traffic under the Kharar flyover.

The effects of the gruesome crime were also witnessed in Chandigarh, with nearly three-fourths of cab drivers calling off work. Speaking about this, Tricity Cabs' Association president Vikram Singh Pundir said, "There was no strike called by us or any union. Just as the murder news spread among taxi drivers, we called off work given the shocking nature of the incident."

The taxis will start plying from Wednesday as Pundir said their association had met the police and were assured of speedy action.

Cab drivers in Panchkula also joined the protest, with anguished workers asking their colleagues to suspend work in the middle of their active rides akin to Mohali.

Unlike Chandigarh, the Haryana Cab Association called for a protest in Panchkula, batting for work to remain suspended for 24 hours. Association members were seen standingguard at the Hafed Chowk, Agrasen Chowk, Sector 16 and Housing Board Chowk to ensure compliance.

Body president Somvir Singh said the district's 500-600 strong community of taxi drivers were demanding justice for Dharampal and the protest was a way to express their anger.

Notably, police have launched an investigation into the murder, but no vital information has come to the fore yet.

Probe officials said the murder did not come across as motivated by a robbery as the killers left the deceased's car behind.

Kharar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Dharamvir Singh said the investigation was underway and the accused will be nabbed soon.

Dharampal, 35, was murdered near Palm Residency, Mullanpur barrier, around 9 pm on Monday. As per the available information, the deceased, whose cab had a Mohali-based registration plate, had picked up the passengers from Sector 43 and was headed to Mullanpur.

Eyewitnesses, meanwhile, said the police and the ambulance did not arrive at the spot for at least 25 minutes. The victim died on the spot due to excessive bleeding.

An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday. A murder case has been registered against the unidentified accused.

Dharampal, a native of Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, shared his taxi along with his two brothers. He was married, and has two minor sons who reside in Rajasthan with their mother. He stayed in Zirakpur with his sister for his livelihood. The victim's brothers have demanded compensation for the family..

Mullanpur murder: Jittery tricity cabbies go off roads

A recent send-off celebration for 25 students under the tutelage of a company in Sector 17, was an eye opener on the incredible talent of Indian students. These students earned a scholarship worth Rs 40 crores at various universities across the world and in India. "This annual event is a celebration of the potential of Indian students, who stay ahead of many other nationalities in their capabilities and intellect," says the company owner and education counsellor, Punita Singh.

She adds, "COVID was the biggest challenge and it impacted these young minds the most. It was sheer hard work to get them out of their languishing mood, where no one wanted to leave their phones or the virtual worlds that they had created for themselves."

Befitting the occasion, the students were an excited lot, eagerly looking forward to their new journey of studying abroad.

Prapti Kakkar has received the maximum scholarship and is going to pursue her PhD at IOWA State University with 3000 USD stipend every month and is not paying any tuition fee.

Some students also proved that traditional courses of study are no longer the bar to achieve for Gen Alpha. Divij, who received a huge scholarship from SCAD, intends on pursue art and experiment with design as a major subject. Some students also went beyond their personal limitations to achieve successful scholarships. Among them is Rupan who hails from a village and worked tirelessly for scholarships and has been awarded by the University of British Columbia.

Kanwardeep Singh and Simarpreet, who battle dyslexia and ADHD respectively, to clinch prestigious admissions and scholarships, are exemplary.

Send-Off Celebration: Chandigarh Tricity students bag impressive scholarships | Chandigarh News - Times of India

The siblings, Tania and Tanisha, have been training since the age of four. Both have been selected to represent north India in the dance festival organised by the International Dance Organisation, South Korea. Over 20 countries are participating in the championship.

The duo's dance coach Sameer Mahajan, of Rockstar Academy, said the two had performed at the Dance World Cup in Bengaluru in April, where they bagged the first position. They were also the winners of the Asia-Pacific Dance Congress held in Dubai in June 2023.

"Our mentors have put in a lot of hard work. We are all set to take part in the competition in South Korea," said Tania.

Tanisha added that they have learned multiple dance styles. "We are proud to be representing India in the competition," she said.

Choreographer Harpreet Dubey, who teaches them Kathak, says both are being groomed for a fusion performance. "The twins are trained in contemporary, salsa, belly dancing, hip-hop, acrobats, bhangra, and classical dance, among others," Dubey said.

The twins' mother, Anamika Kashyap, said, "The girls are dedicated to dance and want to become world-class artistes. I feel proud and will always support them."

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