GURUGRAM: The state government’s decision to form a separate municipal corporation for Manesar has been welcomed by industry owners as well as local residents as it brings along a hope for better infrastructure and amenities in the industrial area and nearby villages. However, the development comes at a time when the township is losing sheen among investors as an industrial destination due to higher costs and fewer benefits.
According to industry bodies, the move will definitely help make Manesar more lucrative to the investors. “The new municipal corporation will ensure better infrastructure development in Manesar and the surrounding areas, which will be a big advantage for the industry,” said PK Yadav, president of IMT Manesar Industrial Association.
Along with the improvement in infrastructure and the amenities, industries will also have a huge cost benefit with a new corporation being formed. “Right now, we pay around Rs 24 per sq ft for maintenance to HSIIDC. But with the formation of a corporation, this cost will go down more than twice as maintenance charges will be replaced by property taxes,” said Manmohan Gaind of Manesar Industrial Welfare Association.
However, having been disappointed by the state government on several earlier occasions, industries are now wary of premature celebrations. “We welcome the CM’s announcement but it will only benefit us if the plan is actually implemented and not just left on paper,” said Pankaj Gupta, who runs an export unit in Manesar.
The residents living in the areas surrounding Manesar are also seeing this as a substantial move towards the development of basic services such as internal roads and drains in their sectors. As of now, these sectors do not come under MCG and hence no government body is answerable for the lack of these services.
Amit Gupta, a resident of Microtek Greenburg in Sector 86, said: “The government’s initiative to create a new municipal body for the new Gurugram area is a step in the right direction. This will propel the development of this area, which seems to be overlooked for a long time. Even after paying so much taxes, we have been deprived of basic amenities like water, sewer and roads for many years now.”
However, many residents believe that an extension of MCG rather than a new civic body might be more beneficial for them.
Praveen Malik, vice-president of United Association of New Gurugram, said: “The new corporation is the best option, but it should be considered as MCG-2 not a separate civic body for Manesar. Otherwise, it will not be viable and become a mere eyewash. We have been demanding the expansion plan of MCG for years, which is easy to implement along the new sectors from 58-115, and Manesar can also be a part of it.”