Govt blames AAP for Delhi’s woes, cites 11 years of neglect

The Delhi Government on Thursday said it is stepping in to fix long-pending civic and environmental failures, blaming 11 years of neglect by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration for the Capital’s worsening pollution, broken roads and garbage crisis.

Addressing a press conference, Public Works and Irrigation Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma on Thursday presented a large stack of pending works that the former Delhi Government should have completed during its 11-year tenure. Displaying the documents before the media, the minister said the files represented years of administrative apathy and failure, the burden of which is now being borne by the people of Delhi.

This included garbage clearance, drain cleaning, Yamuna rejuvenation, road repairs, sewage treatment upgrades and waste management. “These files show basic duties that should have been completed long ago. If even half of this work had been done in the last 11 years, Delhi would not be facing such severe pollution, waterlogging and infrastructure decay,” he said. Verma said that if even a single substantial work had been done earlier, the city would not be facing the current situation. The tasks listed by the State Government included removal of mountains of garbage, construction and upkeep of parks, repair of footpaths and pavements, e-waste management, cleaning of the river Yamuna, strengthening of sewage treatment plants, cleaning and mechanised sweeping of roads, plastic waste management, maintenance of drains, and upgrading of water treatment facilities, among several other basic civic responsibilities.

The minister said the problems facing Delhi were not sudden but cumulative. “Pollution did not rise overnight. What we see today is the result of years of neglect, weak planning and misplaced priorities,” the minister said, blaming the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led Government.

According to Verma, when the BJP-led Government took charge on February 20, 2025, a review found that less than five per cent of the listed works had been executed on the ground, despite repeated announcements. “There were advertisements and claims, but no delivery. Files moved, but the city did not,” he said.

The minister said the Government moved quickly after assuming office, deploying ministers and senior officials to address civic failures. One of the first priorities, he said, was monsoon preparedness.

“Before the rains, we undertook large-scale drain cleaning. Nearly 20 lakh metric tonnes of waste were removed. This helped prevent waterlogging at several vulnerable spots, including Minto Bridge, which had become a symbol of administrative failure,” Verma said.

He also pointed to improved management during major festivals such as Diwali, Chhath Puja and Durga Puja.