12112025-CT-01.qxd 11/12/2025 12:30 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune DHILLON REINSTATED AS ZIRAKPUR MC PRESIDENT MC TO PAY ~6 CR ANNUALLY TO RUN 24X7 WATER PROJECT TU JULIET JATT DI — TWISTED LOVE & FLIPPED NARRATIVE Udayvir Singh Dhillon has been reinstated as president of the Zirakpur Municipal Council. P2 MC to pay for operation, upkeep of Manimajra water supply project as contractor’s liability period ends. P3 Tu Juliet Jatt Diflips the narrative where marriage happens first… then they go to college… and then love happens! P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 76 PANCHKULA 84 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 27°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 27.9°C | MIN 9.4°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.28 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.46 AM » WEDNESDAY | 12 NOVEMBER 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 2 years on, Admn plans residential plots at IT Park Two housing projects were scrapped in 2023 Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON MOHALI Play: Nothing Like Lear, a play directed by Rajat Kapoor, to be staged during Chandigarh University’s five-day Dastak Theatre Festival. Auditorium of university’s Academic Block D1 (2 pm) APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 Panchkula: Sector 25 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com POWER SHUTDOWN CHANDIGARH 10 am to 11.30 am: Industrial Area Phase 1 Plot No. 1 to 136/140/99 10 am to 2 pm: Parts of Sector-40D, 47-C & D, 21 C&D, Daria, Makkhan Majra, Steel Authority unit, Maulijagran, Mauli, Burail, Sarangpur, Dhanas, duplex houses, Rajeev Vihar and Uppal Society 2.30 pm to 4 pm: Industrial Area Phase 1 Plot No. 182/84, Haryana Roadways unit, Plot No. 143-A &B,177-D,112 &113 Chandigarh, November 11 Two years after scrapping a general housing scheme and a government housing project at the IT Park, the UT Administration is now considering carving out residential plots there. According to officials, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria recently directed the UT Chief Architect to explore the possibility of developing plots for sale at the IT Park, instead of a group housing scheme. In September 2023, the UT Administration had scrapped a general housing scheme and a government housing project at the IT Park after these failed to receive the necessary environmental clearance. The general housing scheme, which was almost finalised, was to come up on 16.6 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 643 crore, while the government flats were planned on 6.73 acres. The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) had earmarked 123 acres for the housing projects, a fivestar hotel, a hospital and a school at the IT Park. With regard to the muchdelayed general housing scheme in Sector 53, the UT Administrator directed the Chief Architect to explore MULLS SELLING SEC 53 SITE TO PVT DEVELOPERS ■ With regard to the much-delayed general housing scheme in Sector 53, the UT Administrator directed the Chief Architect to explore ways to divide the 8.975 acres allotted to the CHB into two pockets, of which one could be sold to private developers. ■ Kataria further directed the officer to explore the possibility of enhancing the floor-area ratio (FAR), height of building, density etc, to make the scheme financially attractive as well as affordable, especially for the EWS category. ways to divide the 8.975 acres allotted to the CHB into two pockets, of which one could be sold to private developers. Kataria further directed the officer to explore the possibility of enhancing the floor area ratio (FAR), height of building, density etc, to make the scheme financially attractive as well as affordable, especially for the EWS category. The CHB had planned to construct 372 flats in the proposed scheme. As per the tentative cost worked out by the CHB, a threebedroom flat (HIG) was to cost Rs 2.3 crore, 39.39% higher than the earlier pro- Cops on toes posed price of Rs 1.65 crore. A two-bedroom flat (MIG) was to cost Rs 1.97 crore, up 40.71% from the previous proposed rate of Rs 1.4 crore, and a tworoom flat (EWS) about Rs 74 lakh, 34.34% costlier than the previous tentative cost of Rs 55 lakh. The CHB had revised the rates after the implementation of new collector rates in the city on April 1 this year. Government rental accommodation The Administrator also directed the CHB to explore the feasibility of constructing flats on the land recently handed over to it in Sector 54 for government rental accommodation for employees of the UT Administration. He also directed the CHB to work out the financial modalities in such a way that rent equal to the HRA will be paid to the CHB. The Administrator asked the Estate Department to frame a policy regarding Economic Weaker Sections (EWS). The policy will define the eligibility conditions for allotment of flats in the EWS category. In the absence of such policy, neither the CHB nor the Municipal Corporation (MC) can float a housing scheme or auction land for housing projects. Panjab University Bachao Morcha members protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PARDEEP TEWARI PU students refuse to call off stir Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 11 A day after Panjab University witnessed one of the largest student mobilisations in its history, the protesting students today refused to stand down until the Centre formally notifies the Senate election schedule under the pre-October 30 structure. Their indefinite dharna has entered its eleventh day. The Centre had on November 7 rolled back the controversial PU overhaul notification — issued just a week earlier — after an unprecedented political storm in Punjab and Chandigarh. The confrontation was triggered following The Tribune’ s November 1 expose on the planned restructuring of the Senate and Syndicate, which cascaded into a region-wide youth protest, rallies and intense political pressure that forced an unusually swift retreat by the Centre. But the rollback has not quelled the anger. On Sunday, Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig initiated Woman found murdered in Mohali, husband held Tribune News Service Railway and UT police personnel check vehicles at the railway station in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Following the Delhi blast, the police have stepped up security measures in the city. Mohali, November 11 A 28-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her husband at Guru Nanak Colony in Jagatpura here last night. The victim, Radhika, a native of Bihar, was found dead with injuries on the face and neck in her home. Local residents said her husband, Ravi, was seen outside his home in an inebriated state, with a rod in his hand. The incident came to light in the morning when Ravi’s mother, who had gone to her daughter’s house, returned home. His elder brother Sonu, who is reportedly mentally challenged, was at home when the incident took place. The police said a local doctor was called to the spot, while the cops were informed later. The police shifted the body to the mortuary of the Civil Hospital in Phase 6 here. Ravi, aged 32, is a driver by profession. He has been arrested. Sources said it was Ravi’s second marriage, solemnised just two and a half months ago. A murder case has been registered at the Phase 11 police station. The police said a post-mortem examination of the body would be conducted on Wednesday. 180 gm shortfall in oranges costs delivery firm ~2K Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune news service Chandigarh, November 11 The delivery of a product in a quantity lesser than what was ordered amounts to deficiency in service, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Chandigarh observed. The panel directed Swiggy Limited and Instamart to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation for a 180 gm shortfall in delivery of oranges. The complainant, Raja Vikrant Sharma, an advocate from Sector 11, Panchkula said he had placed an order on December 30, 2024, through the food delivery company’s quick-commerce service Instamart. The order comprised Nestle Classic Milk Chocolate and 1 kg Nagpur Oranges and paid a handling fee of 28.61 claimed to ensure timely and damage-free delivery. However, upon delivery, he found the orange packaging torn, the net weight to be only 824 gm instead of the promised 1 kg. No physical bill was provided. He immediately raised the issue with Swiggy but got no response. He said the order THE COMPLAINT Raja Vikrant Sharma, an advocate from Sector 11, Panchkula, said he had placed an order through a food delivery company’s quick-commerce service, Instamart. The order comprised Nestle Classic Milk Chocolate and 1 kg of Nagpur oranges. However, upon delivery, he found the orange packaging torn and the net weight of oranges to be only 824 gm. was a gift for his aunt. The deficiency in services, he added, resulted in agony, missed travel schedule, added expenditure and inconvenience. On the other hand, Swiggy opposed the complaint and stated that it operates as an electronic platform facilitating transactions between customers and independent thirdparty merchants/restaurants who list and sell prepared food, beverages and grocery items and has role in such issues. After hearing of the arguments, the commission said the photograph depicted the torn packaging of the oranges and clearly indicated c m y b a net weight of 824 gm. The commission said the failure to act on the complainant’s grievance resulted in mental agony and inconvenience, particularly as the items were intended to be a gift. “The delivery of a product in a quantity lesser than what was ordered amounts to deficiency in service, for which the company is liable. In view of this the OPs are directed to pay lump sum amount of Rs 2,000 to the complainant as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment and litigation cost,” it added. SEEK SENATE POLL NOTIFICATION, FIR WITHDRAWAL SIMMERING TENSION ■ Fear of Centre’s repeat attempts to restructure PU governance ■ Demand for FIR withdrawal pending for a year ■ Police barricades, checking on borders deepening distrust ■ Students say they will not allow “normalcy without accountability” the Senate poll process by forwarding the draft election schedule to Vice-President and PU Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan for approval. Students, however, dismissed it as “too little, too late,” insisting that nothing short of a formal notification issued by the Centre and published by the PU will end their agitation. Emboldened by Monday’s massive “PU Bandh”, backed by farmers, political leaders, Nihang groups and civil society organisations, who broke police barricades to join them, the protesters today raised a fresh demand — withdraw the FIR registered against 14 students during last November’s agitation over the Senate polls. “The PU authorities have repeatedly assured us for a year that the police cases would be withdrawn, but nothing has been done,” said Avtar Singh (SOPU) of the PU Bachao Morcha, which is spearheading the agitation. “We will not leave the protest site before our demand is met,” he added. Meanwhile, around 200 students gathered near the VC office lawns. “Everyone is exhausted after yesterday’s bandh. The numbers will surge again tomorrow,” they said. The national president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Varun Choudhary, will be visiting the protesting students tomorrow. Over 200 police personnel remained deployed inside and around the campus through the day. All PU gates were par- tially regulated, with internal routes patrolled continuously. RURAL PUNJAB JOINS THE CHORUS A new front opened today with the “Save PU, Save Senate” sentiment spilling into rural Punjab. Multiple village panchayats, starting with Shahpur Theri in Sangrur, passed resolutions backing the students and demanding immediate Senate elections under the old structure. The resolutions also sought that the PU be formally declared Punjab’s university through legislative changes in the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament. “Many panchayats have passed resolutions and dozens more are preparing to,” said Avtar Singh.? NEW CHARTER OF DEMANDS The PU Bachao Morcha issued a statement thanking masses from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring regions for joining Monday’s protest, while apologising for organisational lapses due to the rally’s Continued on Page 2