In the posh Greater Kailash Assembly constituency, debutant Ajay Kumar Malhotra will face a dual challenge —getting rid of the perennial traffic congestions and sewage problems in the area and also maintaining the political legacy of his father Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

Geared up to be tested on the performance of Malhotra senior, Ajay Malhotra discusses his plan of action in conversation with Rakesh Ranjan

How would you prioritise the issues of traffic, parking and sewageIJ

No part of the constituency is spared from traffic snarls. My emphasis will be on abolishing the BRT Corridor, which is the biggest and longstanding problem of the area. Further, an alternative traffic plan will be devised to eliminate traffic snarls near Savitri Cinema on the Outer Ring Road. The road leading to Alaknanda had indeed become a highway as hundreds of vehicles use this stretch to travel to Badarpur and Faridabad. During the last five years, a majority of the fund was spent on replacing sewage pipelines and we have succeeded in replacing 75 per cent of the pipelines.

Please elaborate on the traffic plan for Savitri Cinema.

The flyover at Chirag Dilli can be extended up to GK Enclave allowing the free movement of traffic coming from Nehru Place towards IIT. Consequent to this, the single-carriageway flyover near Savitri Cinema can be used for unhindered movement of vehicles in the opposite direction. This will leave a 40 ft-wide road on the surface for right-turning vehicles (towards GK-II and Alaknanda). Further, I will propose an elevated corridor from GK Enclave to Chittaranjan Park.

You are a new face. How are local leaders and voters responding to your candidature from Greater KailashIJ

I have been handling the election campaigns of my father since 1989, so, I am no novice. Of all the 70 Assembly constituencies, Greater Kailash was the only seat where there was no rebellion. However, when my father refused to contest the polls, the three BJP councillors from the constituency proposed my name from the seat. It was a unanimous decision and I have been getting their whole-hearted support.

How big is the challenge to maintain the legacy of your fatherIJ

My father has been a three-time MP from South Delhi, of which Greater Kailash was a part. This is the reason he chose to contest the Assembly polls from this segment in 2008 when he was projected the chief ministerial candidate for the BJP. His name would definitely be an advantage; I am committed to carrying forward his style of functioning and the politics of development.