Chandigarh, May 28 -- More than five years after 13 of Chandigarh's villages were merged into the municipal corporation (MC), development still remains a distant dream for many residents as no dedicated funds have been released by the Union Territory (UT) administration for their upkeep since 2021. The 13 villages - Behlana, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra, Daria, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Kaimbwala, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur and Dhanas - were brought under the MC's jurisdiction on November 30, 2018. Nine others - Butrela, Badheri, Attawa, Palsora, Maloya, Dadu Majra, Burail, Kajheri and Hallo Majra - were already within the municipal limits. According to officials of the municipal corporation, while the Chandigarh Administration released Rs.102 crore in 2019-20 for the maintenance of these villages, no subsequent annual grant has been provided. Residents and elected councillors from these villages have been raising complaints about poor infrastructure. Potholed roads, absence of storm water drainage system, supply of contaminated water and overflowing sewage are among the most common issues flagged by the locals. Despite repeated reminders to the civic body, there has been little improvement. In 2014, in her first stint as a parliamentarian, Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher had ceremonially adopted Sarangpur village under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, promising a never-seen-before transformation. Kher, who continued to oversee the village's development after being re-elected in 2019, spent close to Rs.2 crore on its revamp ever since. But even here the funds have not translated into the village's growth. According to villagers, during her first tenure, Kher got a community centre, veterinary sub-station and sports complex constructed. However, in the second term, she hardly visited the village. City mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, while highlighting the challenges related to infrastructure and sanitation, has demanded fresh funding for these areas. In her letters to Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, she has sought additional grants for the upkeep of 22 villages. "The MC is currently maintaining basic amenities, such as roads, streets, storm water drains, sewage, water supply and parks as well as various buildings of 22 villages in Chandigarh. Prior to the transfer of these villages, panchayat samitis were responsible for their maintenance for which they received a specific annual grant. Now that the villages have been transferred to the MC, it is imperative that adequate funds are allocated for their upkeep," the letter from the mayor read. The mayor added, "After raising the issue with the Chandigarh administration, we got to know that the MC has never submitted any utilisation certificate to the administration. Now, officials are finalising the documents. MC officials have not demanded the funds again. Now, when we are in an acute financial crisis, we are hopeful of receiving help from the administration."...