Chandigarh, March 16 -- Mayor Saurabh Joshi on Sunday assured residents that long-pending civic issues and stalled development projects would be resolved at a "remarkable pace", citing improved financial stability in the municipal corporation. Addressing the executive committee of the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations of Chandigarh (FOSWAC), Joshi acknowledged that several projects had been delayed in the past due to financial constraints. "In the past, there were certain financial issues due to which many projects got delayed, but in the coming days these issues will be resolved at a remarkable pace," the mayor said at the meeting held at the People's Convention Centre in Sector 36. Making a personal appeal to the resident representatives, Joshi urged them to work closely with the civic administration. "Please don't treat me as just the mayor; treat me as your son or younger brother," he said, asking them to bring sector-specific problems directly to his notice for faster resolution. The nearly four-hour interaction saw the mayor inviting suggestions from the 84 executive members present and urging them to act as the "eyes and ears" of the administration to flag civic grievances faced by residents across the city. The meeting, chaired by FOSWAC chairman Baljinder Singh Bittu and initiated by general secretary JS Gogia, focused on several civic concerns, with parking emerging as a key issue. Bittu said the municipal corporation had struggled for years to manage paid parking and suggested that instead of relying on daily manual fee collection, the civic body could consider charging a nominal one-time parking fee for three to five years at the time of vehicle registration to generate steady revenue. To reduce congestion at parking lots, representatives also suggested collecting parking charges for out-of-state vehicles at exit points rather than at entry, which they said often led to traffic bottlenecks. Encroachments in markets also drew attention during the meeting. Residents alleged that thousands of illegal vendors had occupied pavements and corridors in several sectors, making it difficult for pedestrians, particularly elderly residents and women, to navigate the markets. Issues relating to housing policies of the Chandigarh Housing Board were also raised, with sector representatives claiming that frequent changes in policies had left residents uncertain and fearful of demolition drives or heavy penalties. Sanitation and civic infrastructure concerns also figured prominently. Residents flagged the situation at the Dadumajra dumping ground, lack of public toilets at Apni Mandis, scattered overhead cables, and accumulation of dry leaves in residential areas. Representatives from several sectors also raised concerns over the rising number of stray animals, including dogs and monkeys, and the increasing number of dog bite incidents in parts of the city....