Login Register
Follow Us

City’s heart broken

CHANDIGARH: Renowned French architect Le Corbusier might not have thought in his wildest dreams that Sector 17 which he designed as the city’s heart would turn into a place of utter neglect one day.

Show comments

Ramkrishan Upadhyay 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 23

Renowned French architect Le Corbusier might not have thought in his wildest dreams that Sector 17 which he designed as the city’s heart would turn into a place of utter neglect one day.

Broken flooring and fountains, old and dilapidated buildings, heaps of garbage and electricity wires dangling all over the market have left the shopping paradise of the city into a place which a majority of residents don’t prefer to visit now.

People used to visit Sector 17 to have a stroll at the Plaza or experience an elegant way of shopping. However, the walking space has now been encroached upon by vendors whose numbers are increasing day by day. 

While the UT Administration is planning to develop vacant areas in Sector 17 under the Smart City Mission, the present status shows a different picture.

Traders are also not happy with the priority to the works the Chandigarh Administration accorded to the sector.

Jagdish Pal Kalra, a trader, said instead of providing basic facilities in the market, the UT Administration was spending crores on the construction of an underpass connecting Sector 17 with Rose Garden and building an urban park.

Neeraj Bajaj, another businessman, said even streetlights were not working in the sector and various main areas remain dark after dusk. Rajinder Minocha, also a trader, said the flooring was broken at various places making it difficult for shoppers to walk around.

Virender Guleria, president of Progressive Traders’ Welfare Association, Sector 17-D, said they had been requesting the authorities to take immediate steps to improve the conditions in the sector but nothing happened. He said the lack of facilities discouraged shoppers from visiting the place.

LC Arora, another trader, said 40 booths constructed under the new overbridge had been lying vacant for the past four years. “These have now been encroached upon by vendors,” he added.

The connecting passages of various corridors in Sector 17 were dismantled two years ago but their reconstruction has not started yet.

Kalra said the increasing numbers of vendors was one of the major concerns for shopkeepers. 

The open area is meant for visitors to enjoy the stroll but the encroachments have left them with no space for movement. Vendors have occupied the corridors. The broken fountain opposite the library building paints an ugly picture. Loose electricity wires outside buildings pose risk to the visitors. Due to lack of proper maintenance, heritage buildings have been deteriorating. Many buildings have seen the growth of vegetation on the rooftop. 

Le Corbusier’s city hub

  • French architect Le Corbusier had developed the ‘heart of the city’ as the main commercial and business hub. 
  • A sprawling area for commercial activity, the Bank Square, the Town Hall, and the State Library are located towards the north and form the core area of the City Centre while the civic area with a police station and houses for its employees, the Fire Station, the Parade Ground, Treasury office, Inter-State Bus Terminus, Football Stadium, exhibition area are located towards the south of the sector. 
  • Institutional/commercial belts have been planned along the City Centre flanking the main roads wherein major hotels, banks, local and central offices have come up. 
  • The core area has been planned as a pedestrian’s paradise with seamlessly interlinked spaces of varying scales offering a variety of spatial experiences. The Plaza is surrounded by four-storeyed concrete buildings that lend scale and also provide a buffer segregating vehicular and pedestrian movement within the sector. The Neelam Plaza is a vibrant hub of the City Centre. 
  • Le Corbusier wanted the area to pulsate with activity and people, especially during the weekly carnivals and seasonal fairs 

Many projects on the cards

Urban park, a five-star hotel, a convention centre, revival of the 11-storey building envisaged by Le Corbusier and shifting of government offices from the main area are some of the features that are included in the revival plan of Sector 17 under the Smart City Mission. A gazebo, a food court, amphitheatres, fountains and transportation facilities for visitors from the parking area to the nearby sectors have also been included in the plan. A convention centre and a big luxury hotel have been proposed on Circus Ground and its nearby areas. A new DC office is also proposed.


The UT Administration is spending crores on the construction of an underpass connecting Sector 17 with Rose Garden and building an urban park. These projects could have been delayed till the beautification is completed in the area. — Jagdish Pal Kalra, trader

The flooring in Sector 17 is broken at various places making it difficult for shoppers to walk around. Besides, the work on connecting passages has not been started so far even as these were dismantled a long time ago. — Rajinder Minocha, trader

Despite declaring the sector as a no-vending zone, the MC failed to remove vendors who have swarmed across the sector. Corridors, open space and parking lots are illegally occupied these days. — Subhash Kataria, trader

Traders have been getting assurances for providing the facilities for a long time. However, nothing happened on the ground so far. Shopkeepers are paying rent and taxes to the government, but nobody is concerned about them. — Virender Guleria, president of Progressive Trader Welfare Association, Sector 17-D

Show comments
Show comments

Top News

Most Read In 24 Hours