13112026-CT-01.qxd 11/13/2026 1:07 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune UT OPENS MEMBERSHIP FOR 2 ALL-WEATHER SWIMMING POOLS CZECH DELEGATION PITCHES FOOD, FILM FESTIVALS IN CHD PYRE’S FIRST-TIMERS WIN HEARTS The Sports Department has revised user charges for both summer and winter sessions. P3 A Czech delegation calls on the Chief Secretary to explore avenues for boosting tourism, cultural ties. P3 Vinod Kapri’s Pyre gets a new lease of life, with 200 additional shows set to hit theatres from Friday. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 118 PANCHKULA 79 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE Nitin Jain Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 24 and 46 Mohali: Sector 68 and Phase 5 Please send information about events in Tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com MC elections: 184 symbols notified for Independents Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 12 The State Election Commission has notified a list of 184 free election symbols for Independent candidates contesting the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections. Under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 2026, independent candidates will have to indicate three preferred symbols in their nomination papers. The symbols will be allotted in accordance with the prescribed procedure. State Election Commissioner Vijay Dev said the order would apply to elections in all 35 wards of the Municipal Corporation. According to the order, if more than one Independent candidate opts for the same election symbol, the Returning Officer will allot it through a draw of lots. Significantly, candidates belonging to political parties registered with the Election Commission of India but not recognised as national or state parties will also be treated as Independents. Chandigarh, November 12 The city’s appetite for fancy vehicle numbers has hit a new high in 2026, with the Administration earning a record revenue of Rs 21.63 crore. According to official data, CH01DD0001 was sold for Rs 53.88 lakh, the costliest number in the city. It is 48 per cent above the earlier record sale of Rs 36.43 lakh (CH01DA0001, 2025) and nearly seven times the Rs 8 lakh top bid of 2020. In 2026 till October 31, 11,001 numbers were sold, more than the 10,429 in all of 2025 and 3.3 times the 3,308 of 2020. The revenue of Rs 21.63 crore has also overtaken the Rs 21.19-crore revenue of 2025 and is 5.3 times Rs 4.08 crore earned 2020. Two months of the year are still left. At about 1,100 numbers a month, 2026 is running 27 per cent ahead of the 2025 monthly average of 869. The average price per num- CRAZE FOR REVENUE NUMBERS SOLD FANCY NUMBERS ~8.92 ~14.59 ~16.34 ~15.16 CRORE CRORE ~21.19 CRORE ~21.63 CRORE CRORE ~4.08 CRORE 3,308 6,167 9,055 9,599 8,752 10,429 11,001 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CRORE 2025 2026 till Oct 31 COSTLIEST NUMBERS 2020 CH01CC0001 ~8 lakh 2021 CH01CE0001 ~13.17 lakh 2022 CH01CH0001 ~22.02 lakh ber has risen from about Rs 12,300 in 2020 to Rs 19,700 in 2026, a 60 per cent jump. Sales dipped in 2024 (8,752) 2023 2024 2025 2026 CH01CT0001 CH01CV0001 CH01DA0001 CH01DD0001 ~17.30 lakh ~23.70 lakh ~36.43 lakh ~53.88 lakh before rebounding. Between 2020 and 2026, 58,311 numbers have fetched Rs 101.90 crore. The data was compiled by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) and accessed exclusively by The Tribune. The data lists 15 vehicles priced between Rs 3.38 crore and Rs 4.99 crore, worth Rs 61.59 crore together — eight Bentleys, four Rolls-Royces, two Lamborghinis and one McLaren. The costliest is Rs 4.99-crore McLaren 750S Spider registered to a builders’ firm, which paid Rs 52.44 lakh in tax. It is followed by a Rolls-Royce Ghost (Rs 4.78 crore), a Lamborghini Aventador (Rs 4.68 crore) and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan (Rs 4.66 crore). Eleven of the 15 are registered in the names of firms and four of individuals. Registering and Licensing Authority Radhika Singh, while sharing the details, said the trend reflected public confidence in the system. “Every auction is online and traceable. The RLA works with complete accountability, transparency and responsiveness to ensure hassle-free service to the public,” she said. Sector 39mandi auction MC plans mist fountains fails third time in a row at key city traffic junctions Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 12 The auction of commercial sites at the new mandi in Sector 39 has once again failed to attract bidders, with all 23 SCO sites remaining unsold for the third consecutive time. The State Agricultural Marketing Board, UT, had invited fresh bids for the e-auction of 23 SCO sites at the new mandi. Auctions had earlier been held in September and October. In September, the process was can- celled after only one technical bid was received for the 23 sites. The sites, numbered 24 to 46, were to be allotted on a leasehold basis. The reserve price had been substantially increased, with each 100.23-sqm (119.874-sq-yd) site carrying a reserve price of Rs 5.30 crore. An earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 10.61 lakh was fixed for each site. Corner sites, numbered 24 and 46, attracted an additional 5 per cent charge. The sites were continued on page 2 Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 12 In a bid to combat rising air pollution and improve air quality, a team of Municipal Corporation (MC) engineers today inspected various roundabouts across Chandigarh to identify suitable locations for installing mist fountains at busy traffic junctions. The team was led by Chief Engineer Sanjay Arora. The proposed mist fountains, planned under the National Clean Air Pro- c m y b gramme (NCAP), are aimed to suppress airborne dust by settling suspended particulate matter, particularly at intersections witnessing heavy vehicular movement. During the inspection, the engineering team assessed various locations on the basis of traffic density, site feasibility, available space and technical requirements for installation. The MC is exploring innovative and sustainable measures to control air pollution continued on page 2 MAX 30°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 29.3°C | MIN 14.1°C SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:46 AM /THETRIBUNECHD 11,001 fancy numbers fetch ~21.63 cr in UT in 10 months PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET FRIDAY 5.28 PM » FRIDAY | 13 NOVEMBER 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Another bomb threat A dog squad carries out a search at a bank in Sector 17 following a bomb threat on Thursday. UT plans to decriminalise minor violations, repeal 50 outdated laws Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 12 In a major administrative reform aimed at moving away from colonial-era criminal provisions, the UT Administration, in coordination with the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, has finalised the draft of the Chandigarh Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026. The Bill has been sent to the Centre and it is being vetted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, said a senior UT official. The proposed legislation seeks to shift from punitive criminal prosecution to trust-based governance by decriminalising minor regulatory violations, replacing imprisonment with monetary penalties and repealing more than 50 obsolete laws. Under the proposed reforms, minor administrative and civic violations will no longer attract prosecution, court trials or imprisonment. Terms such as “offences” and “conviction by a Judicial Chd Jan Vishwas Bill seeks to replace jail term with fine Magistrate” are being replaced across various laws with “contraventions” and “liability to civil penalty”. The changes will cover areas such as shop licences, noise control regulations, minor canal usage, municipal building notices, property defacement and registration rules for medical and nursing practitioners. Penalties have also been revised to reflect present-day economic realities. For instance, violations under the Punjab Land Preservation Act will attract fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh instead of a one-month jail term. Similarly, property defacement under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act will attract a minimum penalty of Rs 50,000 in place of imprisonment of up to one year. To ensure that penalties remain relevant without requiring frequent legislative amendments, the minimum and maximum amounts specified in the schedules will automatically increase by 10 per cent every three years. The Bill also proposes an inhouse administrative adjudication mechanism to reduce prolonged litigation. Senior departmental officials, including the Collector, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Director of Health Services and Chief Inspector of Shops, will be empowered to act as Adjudicating Officers, conduct inquiries and impose penalties. Anyone aggrieved by an order of an Adjudicating Officer can file an appeal within 30 days before the designated appellate authority, such as the Home Secretary, Health Secretary or Local Government Secretary. However, failure to deposit a penalty within the stipulated period will result in its recovery as arrears of land revenue. continued on page 2
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