Chandigarh, April 5 -- In Chandigarh's northern sectors, oncecelebrated for their open layouts and architectural uniformity, residents are being forced into a defensive redesign of their homes. Grills, nets, andreinforced barriers are no longer aesthetic choices; they areessential fortifications against an increasingly assertive monkey population. Residents across sectors report that monkeys routinely scale rooftops, invade balconies, and damage property. "They tear clothes, destroy plants, and defecate right outside our doors. It feels unsafe, especially for children," says Ritu Nanda, a Sector 15A resident. Navya Kataria, a resident of Sector 13, Manimajra, added that monkeys end up scratching cars and destroying flower pots, adding to the menace. The problem isprevalent in Sectors 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 15A, and 26. As per a surveyconducted in December 2022, there are around 1,326 monkeys in the city. In a formal complaint to the bar body, dated March 23, 2026, advocate Nitin Sachdeva flagged a surge in monkey menace at the Punjab and Haryana high court. Sachdeva said monkeys are damaging parked vehicles and attacking individuals carrying food. He urged the authorities to implement catch-and-relocate drives and deploy trained langur mimickers to secure thepremises. The problem is equally acute at Panjab University (PU) and the adjoining Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). PU's chief of security, Vikram Singh, said that three personnel are now dedicated solely to monkey management. Large campuses have become hotspots, primarily due to poorly managed garbage points and food waste. The municipal corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) receives up to eight complaints daily. Sanitary officer Jitender Kumar said 10 personnel are currently deployed to drive monkeys away, using cages to trap and relocate them to the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar described the situation as a "serious issue," noting that a high-level meeting is pending to address the crisis under government guidelines. However, experts argue the problem is man-made. Harpreet Kaur, a professor at PU's department of zoology, said that rhesus macaques have adapted to urban waste. "Easy access to kitchen waste and religious feeding increases breeding rates and aggression," she said, adding to tackle the issue, it is vital that proper waste management practices are put in place, and feeding of monkeys is restricted. Prof Kaur added that thewildlife department must take initiatives to educate the public besides undertaking monitoring and relocation efforts. While the forest department once proposed planting fruit-bearing shrubs in wild zones to keep monkeys away, residents said the situation has only worsened since the MC took over the function in 2023. In 2018, the MC ended up paying Rs.13 lakh compensation to the family of a youth who died in 2015 after a slab fell on him while trying to escape monkeys in Sector 22....