North MCD hikes maintenance amount for parks

Aiming to provide a face-lift to the Corporation parks, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) has decided to increase the amount for their maintenance from Rs 6,000 per acre to 8,000 per acre. The Corporation pays the amount to RWAs/NGOs who ensures upkeep and maintenance of these parks under the PPP model. 

The proposal was passed in the Standing Committee meeting of the civic body by the members of the committee under the leadership of Standing Committee Chairman Mohan Bhardwaj. 

The revised rates have already been approved in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and a similar scheme was proposed in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation <g data-gr-id="23">earlier</g> but no one came forward to adopt the colony’s parks. The Corporation officials informed that the PPP scheme was rolled out about a decade ago under the then head of the garden committee. 

“The Corporation rolled out the scheme to engage RWAs who would adopt these parks and maintain them on behalf of the Corporation and also to deal with the staff crunch,” said an official. The RWAs and NGOs, however, have claimed that the sum given to them for maintenance and development was insufficient. One of the RWA office bearers in North Delhi said that the revised sum of Rs 8,000 was also insufficient. “For the maintenance of colony parks, guards, gardeners, water and compost are required. These expenses are hard to meet with the amount given to us by the Corporation,” claimed the office bearer.