Chandigarh Civic Body Plans Steep Hike in Community Centre Charges, Ends Free Use for RWAs

In a significant move that could impact residents across the city, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has proposed a major overhaul in the booking policy for community centres. The draft policy, which is likely to be tabled in the upcoming General House meeting, suggests a substantial increase in booking charges and new restrictions, especially targeting Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), who will no longer enjoy free access to these facilities.

Under the proposed changes, the booking fees for community centres will be restructured according to their categorization. Category A community centres—located in prime sectors such as 19, 23, 30, 33, 35, 37, 38, 38 (West), 43, 49, and 50—will see their charges raised to ₹60,000 per booking. Currently, these centres charge between ₹24,000 and ₹48,315. For Category B centres, the new rate will be ₹40,000, while Category C will be set at ₹30,000, up from their current range of ₹6,000 to ₹24,158.

Justifying the steep hike, MC officials stated that crores have been spent on building and maintaining these community centres, and the revision is essential to recover costs and generate revenue. In an effort to make these centres more financially viable, the MC has also proposed allowing commercial events like exhibitions during the off-peak season—between May 1 and October 31, when wedding bookings are fewer.

However, the biggest jolt has come for RWAs, which had previously enjoyed free and unrestricted access to community centres for meetings and events. The new draft policy imposes several limitations: RWAs can now only book the venue 30 days in advance, and only once a month. Furthermore, only the ground floor hall will be available to them, and a user fee of ₹1,000 plus GST will be charged per meeting. Previously, RWAs used these spaces at no cost.

The policy goes a step further, banning any form of commercial activity or election-related meetings during RWA bookings. Associations will also be prohibited from displaying sponsor advertisements at the venues. Any violations—such as misbehaviour or providing false documentation—will attract strict penalties, including a ban on future bookings, double charges, and forfeiture of the security deposit.

There’s also been a proposal to rename these centres as “clubs,” though no consensus has yet been reached. Meanwhile, the idea of running some centres under a public-private partnership (PPP) model was floated, but councillors have not endorsed it so far.

The policy has already sparked political tension. AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra has accused the civic body of financial mismanagement and misuse of the current free-booking system. He confirmed that his party would demand a formal inquiry into the matter at the next General House meeting.

As the civic body moves toward commercialization of its community assets, the coming weeks are expected to see strong reactions from RWAs and political representatives alike. With rising charges and curtailed privileges, the residents of Chandigarh may soon find their once-free meeting spaces turning into expensive bookings.