The interest being shown by the Urban Development minister Madan Kaushik in works needed to improve the level of civic facilitation in Dehradun is being welcomed by the general public.
However, observers point out that considering the history of such efforts directed and undertaken repeatedly in the past, it will have to be seen in the near future whether the State Government is able to execute these public interest decisions effectively without bowing to political and other pressures.
The challenges of removing encroachments especially from the roadside, facilitating smooth flow of traffic on city roads and maintaining the desired level of civic sanitation have remained largely undiminished despite directions being issued and some steps being taken during the terms of successive state governments. Observers point out that efforts were undertaken in the past to relocate the Adhat Bazaar to resolve the major traffic congestion on Saharanpur Road.
However, the efforts failed to achieve the needful despite a location being found to relocate the wholesale grain market. Similarly, the municipal authority and local administration have repeatedly made attempts to remove encroachments especially the commercial encroachments made in markets and other places along the roadside.
However, factors like pressure from the business fraternity and political interference have reportedly prevented the authorities from achieving much success against encroachments which dot most localities of the provisional state capital.
When it comes to sanitation, the authorities tackling shortage of resources have to struggle harder due to the continued public apathy and littering by the public which continues without the municipal corporation penalising those violating the law in most cases.