The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh (MCC) has received bids worth Rs 1.70 crore for maintaining five of the city’s most prominent roundabouts under a two-year revenue-sharing contract aimed at improving the city’s aesthetics while generating non-tax income.
According to officials, three private agencies were found viable for undertaking the upkeep of the roundabouts in the first phase. The project, to be implemented under the “maintenance through advertisement rights” model, will allow selected firms to display limited branding in exchange for the upkeep, horticulture, lighting, and beautification of the designated junctions.
The roundabouts selected for this phase include the junctions of Sectors 17/18/21/22 (Junction 27), Sectors 2/3/10/11 (Junction 8), Sectors 5/6/7/8 (Junction 11), Sectors 18/19/20/21 (Junction 28), and the smaller roundabout on V-4 Road in Sector 10.
Officials said the move is part of the Corporation’s broader effort to beautify public spaces without adding to its financial burden. The maintenance contracts will also ensure regular horticultural care, cleaning, signage upkeep and other repairs — areas where the civic body has often struggled due to manpower and budget constraints.
Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said the initiative would help Chandigarh maintain its reputation as one of India’s cleanest and most organized cities. “This model will not only enhance the look of key intersections but also enable us to bring in much-needed revenue for civic development,” she said, adding that the project would be expanded in phases.
In the next stage, the MCC plans to extend the same system to the remaining 30 roundabouts across the city and nearly 50 fountains in parks and green belts. Each contract will run for two years and will be periodically reviewed for performance and compliance.
A senior MCC official said the process reflects the civic body’s shift toward sustainable public-private partnerships. “These partnerships allow us to maintain Chandigarh’s landscape efficiently while giving companies a chance to contribute visibly to the city’s upkeep,” the official said.
The Rs 1.70-crore bid marks the first major attempt by the Corporation to merge urban design with revenue generation. If successful, officials say the model could become a template for other municipal projects in the city, including maintenance and park beautification.