The price of one condominium in Ahinsa Khand II, Indirapuram is Rs 50 lakhs plus. And yet, the sewage system is shoddy, with backflow filling the basement of residential towers. The water supply has a TDS value of over 3,000, which is harmful to the skin. The roads are in a dilapidated state, and the streetlights are not repaired by civic agencies, resulting in dark spots.
Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, situated along the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (NE-3), is a highly desirable residential area due to its proximity to Delhi and Noida. The locality boasts of expensive homes, excellent infrastructure, high-end markets, malls, schools, and hospitals, among other amenities. However, despite these facilities, residents of Ahinsa Khand II, a sector of Indirapuram, have to resort to raising banners and placards before every election to demand their basic rights to water, sewage systems, and drivable roads.
The residents of Ahinsa Khand II have been raising “No work, No vote” banners in front of their societies before every election to draw attention to the poor state of affairs in the locality. This has been a recurring trend, as they did it before the general assembly polls in 2029 and before the last UP assembly election.
Despite housing 27 condominiums and close to 40,000 residents, Ahinsa Khand II is often referred to as a modern slum due to its lack of basic amenities. Residents claim that the cost of flats here, which starts at 50 lakh, does not justify the inadequate amenities they receive. The GDA and civic corporation collect crores of rupees as house and maintenance tax from the locality, but have failed to deliver basic facilities.
According to Alok Kumar, president of the Federation of Resident Owners Association, Ghaziabad, the sewage system is shoddy, with backflow filling the basement of residential towers. The water supply has a TDS value of over 3,000, which is harmful to the skin. The roads are in a dilapidated state, and the streetlights are not repaired by civic agencies, resulting in dark spots. Kumar said that these issues are only resolved temporarily after protests amidst threat of election boycott.
Residents have also highlighted non-illuminated roads filled with encroachments and stray animals as additional issues. The resulting traffic jams have become a pressing concern in the area.
‘Lack of foresight by builders left a mess behind’
Alok Kumar, president, Federation of Apartment Owners Association (FedAOA) told Ashish Shrivastav that people in the locality complain of hair loss and skin problems due to high TDS levels in the water. The water is unfit for human consumption, he said.
What issues are faced by the residents of the area?
Ahinsa Khand II was built on land purchased by builders from farmers back in 2000. However, the space left to build a road was not uniform. So, while some roads are narrow, others are wide. The same situation occurred with the sewer pipeline. Also, the lack of Gangajal water supply in this part of Indirapuram forced us to rely on harmful underground water.
How did you fight for your rights?
Our association and residents fought cases against civic authorities in the NGT and Allahabad HC over sewage and water issues. The situation has improved somewhat, but I cannot call it satisfactory. We receive Gangajal for only half an hour, and a residential tower of 15 storeys cannot store enough water to fulfill the residents’ needs. People here complain of hair loss and skin problems due to high TDS levels in the water. The water is undrinkable, and we have to change our water filters quite frequently.
What other issues do the residents face?
As I said, the TDS level in the underground water is beyond 3,000, and we are forced to use this water since the supply of Gangajal is severely inadequate. The traffic issue has also impacted people’s health, as the pollution level in the area is always high. The lack of public parks and green spaces, which could absorb pollutants, is making the situation worse.
Moreover, the property rates in the area have remained stagnant for the last 5-6 years. People are not interested in investing here, and rather, those living here are shifting to better localities.