05012026-CT-01.qxd 1/5/2026 12:09 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune CREST MAY INK PACT WITH CHB FOR SOLAR PLANT INSTALLATION AYAAN GARG WINS STATE CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP DIRECTING SHABANA AZMI IN FILM A CAREER MILESTONE UT and the renewable energy society have planned to install solar power plants atop CHB houses. P3 Ayaan wins the Chandigarh State FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Championship by scoring 8.5 points. P3 Celebrity chef-turned-filmmaker Vikas Khanna has directed Shabana Azmi in his upcoming film, Imaginary Rain. P4 » » 148 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE MHA allows UT Admn to make temporary posts permanent 174 PANCHKULA MAX 14°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 12°C | MIN 9.2°C SUNRISE TUESDAY 7.19 AM /THETRIBUNECHD AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH MOSTLY CLOUDY SUNSET MONDAY 5.36 PM » MONDAY | 5 JANUARY 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD Move aimed at addressing staff shortage Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 43 & 45 Mohali: Sectors 70, 78 & Phase 5 Panchkula: MDC, Sector 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com POWER SHUTDOWN MOHALI 9 am to 6 pm: Baltana, Wadhwa Nagar, Sunny Enclave, Bishanpura, Gazipur, Preet Colony and nearby areas, Singhpura Man arrested forrunning club without licence Tribune News Service Mohali, January 4 A joint team of the Excise Department and the police conducted a raid at Boss Club, Sector 79, and arrested an individual found running the establishment without a valid licence. A team, led by Excise Inspector Gurinder Pal, carried out the raid. The accused has been identified as Tejinder of Phase 11. During the raid, illicit liquor — 39 bottles of whiskey, 47 bottles of wine and champagne labelled as for sale in Punjab only — was seized. A case has been registered under Section 61(1)(14) and 68(1)(14) of the Punjab Excise Act at the Sohana police station on January 3. DIVINE LIGHT: Devotees light candles at Gurdwara Santsar Sahib, Sector 38-West, on the occasion of Parkash Purb. PARDEEP TEWARI Close shave for passengers as train starts abruptly 10 fall on platform, Shatabdi pilot booked for attempt to murder Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 4 The Government Railway Police (GRP) has booked the loco pilot of the Kalka-Delhi Shatabdi for attempt to murder after 10 passengers fell on the platform while boarding the train here on Saturday morning. Victims stated that the train started abruptly after arriv- ing late. Passengers claimed that the train jerked ahead and stopped after going some distance. As the passengers started falling on the platform, those inside the train pulled the chain after which it came to a halt. Passengers in the C-6 coach said it was a scary experience as many were yet to board the train and it started moving abruptly after the first siren. In one case, the husband boarded the train but his wife and toddler were caught in the melee outside. A victim, Pooja Rathore, said, “I was worried about my child. It was my first time and I am really scared. The luggage of some passengers fell and was left out on the platform.” Narrating the incident, an elderly woman passenger said it was for the first time she had witnessed such an incident here. It was very important to know why the incident took place so that such accidents did not happen again. A Panchkula resident and a passenger said, “Definitely, there was a lapse in passenger safety. It needs to be investigated Continued on page 2 Officials said the move was aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays in staffing decisions and strengthening the administrative autonomy of UTs without legislatures. By enabling quicker decisions on the conversion and continuation of posts, the government expects improved efficiency in public service delivery. the UT Administrator has been authorised to approve the conversion of temporary posts under the Administration and in autonomous bodies under it into permanent posts up to the Selection Grade, corresponding to pay level-12. However, such conversions will require mandatory consultation with the Secretary (Finance) of the UT concerned and must strictly adhere to guidelines issued by the Department of Expenditure and the Ministry of Finance. Besides, the UT Administrator and other designated officers have been empowered to approve the continuation of temporary posts for a maximum period of two years at a time. Administrators can approve such posts up to pay level-12, while Chief Secretaries and Advisors to Administrators may clear posts up to pay level-10, provided the authority has been formally delegated to them by the Lieutenant Governors or Administrators. The exercise of these delegated powers will be subject to strict safeguards to ensure financial discipline and accountability. These include compliance with General Financial Rules (GFRs), DFPRs and other codal formalities, availability of budgetary provisions for the relevant financial year, and a prohibition on further re-delegation of powers unless explicitly permitted. Officials said the move was aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays in staffing decisions and strengthening the administrative autonomy of UTs without legislatures. By Continued on page 2 City logs coldest day of season, icy winds sweep Tricity Admn seeks Centre approval for ~160-cr DC office complex Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 4 For the fifth consecutive day, bright sun eluded the Tricity today as dense fog engulfed the region throughout the day. At 12 degrees Celsius, Chandigarh logged the coldest day of this season. Icy winds continued to lash the Tricity as temperatures plummeted a notch further. The weather forecast for the next five days is mostly cloudy sky with dense fog. The daytime temperature in the city was recorded as low as 6.2 degrees Celsius, which was below normal. Today, the maximum temperature in Chandigarh was recorded at 12 degrees Celsius, which was the coldest day of this season. Similarly, Tourists brave cold weather at the Rose Garden, Sector 16, Chandigarh, on Sunday. PARDEEP TEWARI the minimum temperature was 9.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal. There has been no bright sunshine in Chandigarh since December 31, though sun played peekaboo for once or twice in between. The difference between day and night temperatures in Chandigarh was only 3.2 degrees Celsius. Eyeing international matches, Sports Dept bats for lighting upgrade at iconic Sector 16 stadium Deepankar Sharda Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 4 In a major push to bringing international cricket matches back to the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here, the UT Sports Department has written to the Engineering Department for upgrading the floodlights to the illuminance (Lux) level. Illuminance refers to the amount of light that shines onto a surface, measured in lumens per square metre. The stadium has six floodlight poles, capable of throwing 1,500-2,000 Lux of light, claimed experts. The Sports Department has sought upgrading the light system as per the requirements of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The existing facility needs Chandigarh, January 4 In a significant administrative reform, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorised the UT Administrator to convert temporary posts into permanent ones, a move expected to address the long-standing issue of staff shortage. The authorisation forms part of a broader delegation of financial and administrative powers announced by the MHA to enhance efficiency and decentralised decision-making in such regions. The decision was communicated through an official order dated January 1, 2026, and supersedes all earlier instructions issued under the now-repealed Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPR), 1978. According to the order issued by an Under Secretary to the Government of India, the delegation of powers has been made under Rule 12(2) of the updated DFPR, 2024. Under the new provisions, QUICK DECISIONS ON STAFFING The lighting system needs to be upgraded as per the requirements of the ICC and the BCCI. FILE to be upgraded to 3,000 Lux (horizontal illuminance) for the main pitch area; 2,500 Lux for the inner field; 2,000 Lux for the outer field, as per the requirement for hosting international matches. For the main camera location, the light shall be 1,000 Lux for national matches and 500 Lux for the practice arena. The department has put forth its detailed demand for improved lighting after consultations with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), which have their independent stadiums and hosted various international c m y b and national matches, including the Indian premier League (IPL) ties. The Sector 16 stadium has earlier hosted various international matches under the PCA and Haryana Cricket Association, including the last ODI between India and Australia played in 2007. The stadium has recently witnessed the upgrade of playing field and hosted a number of domestic matches, after the Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA) of Chandigarh got the BCCI affiliation in 2019. The six poles at the stadium were upgraded long back as per the standards of hosting Ranji Trophy matches. With this proposed upgrade, the floodlight poles may also get replaced, considering the size of the stadium, claimed some of the officials involved in the process. Meteorologists say that Chandigarh will experience cold weather along with dense fog for the next two days, due to which a further drop of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius will be witnessed. The foggy weather in the city made it difficult for people to step out of their homes. But the city’s Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden and Rose Garden were thronged by tourists throughout the day. Despite the bitter cold, people were seen boating at the lake. Meanwhile, in a departure from the trend witnessed in the past few days, no flight was cancelled at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport here today. All arrivals and departures took place with slight deviation. IT Secretary shifted to Delhi Chandigarh, January 4 UT Information Technology Secretary Hari Kallikkat has been transferred to Delhi with immediate effect. Kallikkat was also holding the charge of Managing Director, CICTO, Additional Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary, Agricultural Marketing Board. Kallikkat had joined the Chandigarh Administration in September 2023. According to the order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today, Hari Kallikkat, a 2018-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh,Goa, Mizoram and other Union Territories) cadre, has been transferred from Chandigarh to Delhi, and Syed Abid Rashid Shah, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, has been transferred from Jammu and Kashmir to Chandigarh. The MHA also ordered the transfer of Rajiv Ranjan Singh, IPS officer of 2010 batch, from Delhi to Chandigarh. — TNS Dushyant Singh Pundir Public interface hub Tribune News Service The ground floor has been designed as the principal citizen interaction zone, keeping public convenience as the core objective. Facilities proposed on this floor include reception and public waiting areas, RLA Office (Driving & Registration Section), public dealing counters, cafeteria and civic amenities, and pressurised lift lobby and staircases. “This floor has been intentionally planned for maximum accessibility, minimising the need for citizens to move to upper floors for routine services,” he said. Chandigarh, January 4 To provide multiple public services under one roof, the UT Administration has sent a detailed plan of the proposed Integrated Deputy Commissioner Office Complex to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for administrative approval. The new building is estimated to cost nearly Rs 160 crore. The Administration has recently finalised the detailed functional layout and vertical zoning plan of the proposed building on Jan Marg, next to Hotel Shivalikview in Sector 17. Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said the detailed plan of the new DC Office building had been sent to the MHA for administrative approval. The six-storey building is estimated to cost nearly Rs 160 crore, he added. The DC said the building had been conceptualised to accommodate key departments and high public-dealing offices, with a clear and systematic segregation of public interface zones, core administrative offices, record rooms and technical service areas. This scientific planning is intended to ensure smooth workflow, enhanced security, ease of navigation and improved accessibility for citizens. Three basement levels (Basement-1, 2 & 3) shall primarily cater to parking requirements and essential building services. These levels will include ramps, ventilation systems, electrical and fire safety installations, pressurised staircases and lift lobbies, ensuring compliance with prescribed safety norms and reducing surfacelevel congestion. Public-oriented services The first floor will house major public service offices, including RLA branches, SDM Office, public dealing counters, record rooms and supporting offices. There will be adequate waiting areas and toilet facilities to ensure efficient handling of high footfall services. Revenue, admn functions The second floor is earmarked for key revenue and quasijudicial functions, including Tehsildar (Revenue) Offices, Land Acquisition Officer (LAO), courtrooms; public dealing areas, record rooms and support facilities. This floor acts as a functional bridge between public services and core administration. Core administration The third floor will accommodate senior administrative offices such as Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Offices; Accounts Branch; NIC support facilities, conference and coordination spaces. Access to this Continued on page 2