CHANDIGARH, Oct 7 — Member of Parliament and former Union minister Manish Tewari on Sunday called for a “complete governance reset” in Chandigarh, describing the city’s current administrative framework as “unworkable, redundant, and unsustainable.”
Speaking at an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tewari said that Chandigarh’s governance structure needed fundamental restructuring to make the city’s business environment more efficient and growth-driven. “The governance model of Chandigarh is ossified and incapable of addressing the aspirations of its citizens,” he remarked.
Proposing a structural overhaul, the MP urged the introduction of a directly elected and empowered Mayor-in-Council with a fixed five-year term. “The mayor should have control over all subjects except land, public order, and police. These could remain under the chief secretary or the administrator until the larger political question of Chandigarh’s status is resolved,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of regional connectivity, Tewari reiterated his long-pending demand for an integrated Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) linking Chandigarh with Mohali, Panchkula, New Chandigarh, Ambala, and Kurali. He said such a system would significantly improve mobility, boost trade, and strengthen the economic fabric of the tricity region.
Tewari noted that he had first proposed the MRTS project in 2019 in a letter to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari but expressed disappointment at the lack of progress. “Neither the Centre, nor the Punjab and Haryana governments, nor even the Chandigarh administration seem capable of undertaking such a major initiative independently,” he said, urging the central government to take it up as a fully funded centrally sponsored scheme.
Reiterating another long-standing demand, the MP called on the Centre to designate the Chandigarh International Airport as a “Point of Call” for foreign airlines. “Allowing international carriers to operate directly from Mohali would unlock immense potential for regional growth,” he said, adding that repeated representations since 2019 had gone unheeded “due to pressure from mega airport operators who do not want regional aviation hubs to develop.”
Tewari also pressed for comprehensive policy reforms and infrastructure upgrades to make Chandigarh’s industrial ecosystem more competitive and business-friendly.
The event also featured remarks from Vijinder Singh Bachhal and Ritika Singh, while CII Chandigarh (UT) vice-chairman Vivek Verma delivered the vote of thanks. Chandigarh Congress Committee president H.S. Lucky and former Punjab Large Industrial Development Board chairman Pawan Diwan were also present.
