Panchkula, July 15 -- After two years of stalled construction and administrative hurdles, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) is expected to get its permanent headquarters by April 2026. The civic body has floated a fresh tender for the completion of its office building in Sector 3, with bids set to open on August 1, MC mayor Kulbhushan Goyal confirmed. Valued at Rs.17.68 crore, the new tender includes a strict deadline of 240 days (eight months) to complete the pending works, once awarded. Despite being established 15 years ago in March 2010, the Panchkula MC has functioned without a dedicated headquarters - operating from community centres and a rented facility instead. Work on the construction of the MC office building began in December 2019, with an estimated cost of Rs.29.49 crore and completion expected by April 2021. But even four years later, the project continues to hang fire, causing MC additional financial burden through rented facilities and also impeding efficient delivery of citizen services. This is not the first attempt to complete the project. A previous round of bidding in March 2025 saw four companies submit proposals, but no contract was awarded due to non-compliance with eligibility criteria. The delay has caused financial strain on the civic body, Goyal said. "MC currently operates from a rented facility in Sector 14, costing the corporation Rs.7-8 lakh per month. The scattered functioning is not only costly but also hampers efficient service delivery," he added. Several departments-including taxation, engineering, and encroachment control-are run from community centres in Sector 4 and Sector 12A, making it difficult for residents to access services. The use of these centres for administrative purposes also prevents their availability for weddings, social gatherings and other public events. SK Nayar, president of the Citizens' Welfare Association, said residents struggle to meet officials and get their issues resolved due to the fragmented office locations....