To showcase the success of ‘Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan’ during the BJP national president Amit Shah’s September 19-20 Dehradun visit, Dehradun administration and the municipal corporation are leaving no stone unturned to make the city look clean. The BJP workers are also at their enthusiastic best as they are found giving a fresh coating of paint to the roundabouts on the important roads of the city aside from sweeping the roads clean. Clock Tower and Tilak Road like many other places in the city are now being given a facelift with the administration, the civic body and the BJP activists seemingly competing among themselves to ‘beautify’ the city ahead of the VVIP visit.
This correspondent who visited several places in the city on Saturday found MCD officials engaged in lifting garbage. With the roads developing cracks during the ongoing monsoon season, PWD officials were found repairing the potholes energetically. Raipur MlA Umesh Sharma Kau along with his followers were seen directing PWD officials to complete the road repair works around Rispana bridge well ahead of the time the party president steps into the city. Besides, the state BJP chief Ajay Bhatt along with other BJP leaders went to Survey of India stadium to inspect the ground where Shah would address around 4000 party workers. “Both the leaders and the workers of the party are very excited over Shah’s visit,” he said.
While some engaged by private companies were found to build the rostrum and the pandal at the stadium earthmovers were also being used to smoothen the ground. Anil Semwal, a shopkeeper based at Tilak Road, said that he was elated over the government officials turning hyper- active, repairing potholes and cleaning the stretches with an unprecedented zeal. “The more such VVIPs come the better for the city,” he said. Echoing the same, a college student Ramesh Bisht said that he was happy over the beautification drive being launched with vigour. “Such VVIP visits are blessings for us. The administration comes out its slumber only when the VVIPs arrive,” he said.