With Bharatiaya Janata Party (BJP) winning a clear majority in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the residents are seeking solutions on pressing issues such as parking, sanitation, lighting and most importantly water crisis when summer peaks. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, tipped to be the Mayor of SDMC said that with the understanding of technical aspects of particular wards, the problems can be addressed.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Sehrawat said the issues faced by the people will be accorded top priority and all issues will not only be studied but addressed to the satisfaction of the residents.
On April 3, during the run up to the municipal polls, leaders of the BJP-ruled SDMC had presented their report card and claimed that the performance of SDMC was the best among the three civic bodies and also accused the AAP-led Delhi Government of harassing the three municipal corporations in getting their dues cleared.
However, ground realities are entirely different in South Delhi as areas like Vansant Kunj, Mehrauli, Saket, lado Sarai, Pushp Vihar, Khanpur and Dwarka are struggling with their basic requirement of water and parking space for their vehicles.
Interestingly, BJP has won with higher votes as compared to the Congress and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and the level of expectations of the residents have also gone up and they want the SDM to address their grievances under the new dispensation.
“Unfortunately, South Delhi, despite being the greenest area of entire Delhi, water bodies have been annihilated and this has led to water crisis in the area. Unless the rate of extraction and rate of recharge are balanced, the issue will remain a unresolved. Milking of water from depleting resources has serious ramification and it should be taken up at the earliest,” said a senior hydro-geologist in Delhi.
“In Dwarka, the people are facing water problems and the water bodies are on the verge of extinction. However, with proper study on geographical situation of water body, the issue can be sorted out,” she added.
When asked, the water bodies have been encroached upon and have become a garbage dumping sites, she replied, “In any case, the revival of water bodies will be taken with seriousness.”
“The party has yet to decide my position but if they give me the responsibility, I will work on this pressing issue with with engineers,” she added.
laxman Singh Bhandari, Head of Events and Sales, Times Internet, Saket said that parking is the main issue here. “Parking space in residential colonies is not sufficient. There is no separate dedicated lane for parking in SDMC market and residential area both. Our vehicles are not safe,” said Bhandari.
“Reacting on issue, Sehrawat said that the parking crunch can be resolved by implementing reasonable parking charges, however, the other spaces , instance - market areas need to be authorized,” she said.