Originally established by the British Indian Army, Delhi Cantonment (popularly referred to as Delhi Cantt), is one of the three statutory towns that make up the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It is managed by the Delhi Cantonment Board, which along with statutory bodies, the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) overlook the State.
Currently, the Delhi Cantonment houses the Indian Army Headquarters, Delhi Area; the Army Golf Course; the Defence Services Officers Institute; military housing; Army and Air Force Public Schools; and various other Defence-related installations. The Cantonment also houses the Army Research and Referral Hospital, a tertiary care medical centre of the Armed Forces of India.
The seat is set to witness a triangular contest between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee and sitting MlA Karan Singh Tanwar, Congress nominee and former Mayor Ashok Kumar Jain and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee and former NSG commando Surender Singh. Singh has participated in the 26/11 rescue mission in Mumbai and expected to get sympathy votes from the Armed Forces.
The constituency comprises Delhi Cantt area, Kirby Place, Mayapuri Industrial Area, Naraina village, East and West Mehram Nagar, some parts of Vasant Kunj, Diplomatic Enclave, parts of Moti Bagh, Police Colony, Sadar Bazar, Gopi Nath Bazar, Jherera, Uri Enclave and Nangal. The internal survey by the Congress also gives advantage to the BJP in this seat.
Tanwar, who belongs to Naraina village, has won this seat thrice. In 2008 Assembly polls, Tanwar won the seat by a margin of 7,261 votes defeating Congress candidate Ashok Ahuja, who got only 16,435 seat. This is one of those which is considered a safe BJP seat in Delhi as Congress candidate Kiran Choudhury won here only once in 1998 by a margin of only 2,626 votes. Congress nominee Ashok Jain is also from Naraina village.
On the face of it, residents of the Delhi Cantonment constituency are a content lot. They have the best of amenities — good roads, no scarcity of water or power and adequate green spaces. But scratch the surface, and you will find worried faces. Inflation has been hitting them hard.
Dalip Singh, a shopkeeper of Gopi Nath Bazar said, “The rising power tariff is killing the common man. So are the prices of everything else. Apart from that, things look good, except that there is waterlogging every time it rains,” Singh said. His neighbour Choudhury Kartar Singh agreed. “Bring down the skyrocketing price of onions and we will cast our votes in your favour,”
Singh said.
Besides, water shortage, ownership rights, tenancy rights of Cantonment fund property and renovation of property (houses and shops) in Gopi Nath Bazar and Sadar Bazar is the issue.
Praising the sitting MlA, residents say that Karan Singh Tanwar is accessible, available and tried his best to solve the problems of the area, but he belongs to the Opposition party — that’s why he
has failed.
According to locals, both Sadar Bazar Market and Gopinath Market were renovated from his fund recently, which was not possible due to Army land. Hospital of Cantonment area was also recently renovated. Residents say that tippers (garbage vehicles), ambulances and mobile dispensaries have been provided by the MlA in the area.
Residents of two bazars say that civil areas are being developed by the area MlA as well as the Army, but the issue of inflated water and power bills are a major problem. Water scarcity is a problem and water is being provided through tankers. They also admit that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has done a lot for the development in the city and that is why people voted for her thrice in a row.