Renovated historical Jugmandar town hall and other development projects launched at MCD

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun 

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated multiple civic development projects at the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) on Friday including the renovated historical Jugmandar town hall.

Originally built in 1938, the town hall was recently renovated by the MCD with upgraded interior facilities and exterior strengthening using Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP). The chief minister said that the restoration represents a “perfect blend of heritage and development,” with efforts made to preserve the building’s architectural identity while adapting it for modern civic use.

Dhami also highlighted progress in sanitation, green infrastructure and urban planning initiatives across the provisional State capital. He also inaugurated various newly developed parks in Arcadia Grant, Shivrajnagar, Tarla Nagal near Gupta Flats, Makkawala near DIT College, Rajeshwar Nagar (Dhoran Khas) and Jakhan near Asal Green Valley to expand green spaces and improve public amenities.

Drainage works at the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre in Kedarpuram were also inaugurated as part of civic infrastructure upgrades.

Addressing the gathering, Dhami said that the projects reflect the government’s focus on balanced and sustainable urban growth. He added that Dehradun is steadily moving toward becoming a modern and well-planned city through improvements in housing, sanitation, waste management, transport systems and public spaces. Referring to national urban programmes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM said that schemes such as the Smart City Mission, AMRUT and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are strengthening infrastructure in cities like Dehradun. He noted that initiatives including electric buses, charging stations, expanded parks and improved waste-management systems are being implemented locally. Dhami said that the MCD property tax collection reaching Rs 72 crore and 80 per cent coverage under door-to-door waste collection reflect improved municipal efficiency. He added that increasing the number of garbage collection vehicles to 300 has strengthened sanitation services.

The CM also stressed on the need to address traffic congestion, parking shortages, encroachments and pressure on water bodies to maintain planned urban growth. Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal and other public representatives were also present on the occasion.