DMC clears Rs 50 lakh per ward, approves Rs 363.5 crore budget

Dehradun: Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) has approved Rs 50 lakh for each ward for development work in 2026-27, among the key decisions taken during its three-day board meeting that ended on Saturday.

The board also cleared a budget of Rs 363.5 crore for the 2026-27 financial year, of which Rs 362.4 crore has been earmarked for expenditure.

Key proposals focused on civic issues such as sanitation, drainage and infrastructure, along with dog control measures, microchipping of animals and expansion of gaushalas in Shankarpur. The board also discussed setting up an incinerator for the safe disposal of animal carcasses.

Councillors raised concerns over illegal occupation of municipal land in areas such as Nathuwala, Patel Nagar and Miyanwala. Issues including broken or incomplete roads, missing drains and poor streetlight coverage were also flagged.

On Saturday, the board cleared a proposal to acquire 100 more e-rickshaws for door-to-door waste collection in areas not easily accessible to larger vehicles. It also approved reissuing the tender for operations at Kargi and Dhoran waste transfer stations.

The board authorised the corporation to procure equipment, including vehicles, e-rickshaws, waste compactors and other machinery, to strengthen sanitation work in wards. The procurement will also support drainage and fogging operations as part of monsoon-related measures.

In Ward 27, a street in Jhanda Colony, known as ‘khooni gali’ due to its association with crime, was proposed to be renamed after freedom fighter Nilambar Dutt Pant, a former member of Dehradun Nagar Palika (1953-1958).

Municipal commissioner Namami Bansal said, “One of the major decisions was the allocation of Rs 50 lakh to each ward for construction and development works for the 2026-27 financial year. For the proposals passed and requests made by councillors, we will soon develop a timeline to ensure the work is carried out efficiently.”

During the earlier days of the meeting, the board also decided to recruit 715 sanitation workers. The work quotation limit for councillors was increased to Rs 10 lakh. The allowance for councillors was set at Rs 25,000 and that of the mayor at Rs 50,000. Honorarium for sanitation workers was increased to Rs 800.