Chandigarh, Feb. 18 -- Taking no chances in an election year, where the state of civic amenities could make or break the incumbent party, Chandigarh mayor Saurabh Joshi presented a budget with a sharp increase in capital expenditure with major allocations provided to improvement of roads, parking spaces, strengthening of sewerage and water supply, modernisation of fire services and development of vendor sites.

This is the final budget of the municipal corporation (MC) House elected in 2022. The next civic elections are slated for December this year.

The House passed a Rs.1,712 crore budget for the financial year 2026-27, the highest ever by this MC. The MC is hoping to receive Rs.1,248.03 crore as a grant-in-aid from the UT while genera...