NEW DELHI: Nestled centrally and conveniently close to some of the city’s premier shopping and dining destinations, including M Block market, N Block market, and South Extension, offering a plethora of brands, restaurants, and cafes, the Greater Kailash assembly segment is an integral part of the New Delhi constituency.
The Greater Kailash seat comprises affluent colonies such as Alaknanda, GK-I and II, Panchsheel Enclave, interspersed with urban villages like Zamrudpur, Savitri Vihar, Shahpur Jat, and a few JJ clusters like Bindusar camp.
Saurabh Bharadwaj currently serves as the MLA from the Greater Kailash constituency in the Delhi State Assembly, previously holding the position of cabinet minister in the inaugural AAP government in 2013.
According to data released by the Election Commission in 2020, a total of 1,46,92,136 voters were registered. The votes will be cast at 13,750 polling stations set up across 2,689 centers. Of Delhi’s total voters, 80,55,686 are male, 66,35,635 are female, with 815 third-gender voters and 55,823 Divyang (persons with disabilities) voters registered for voting.
In addition, 489 Non-Resident Indian (NRI) voters participated in the 2020 election, with 9,820 male service voters out of a total of 11,556.
While civic issues are not a primary concern for residents of Greater Kailash, there are several pressing matters that require immediate attention.
Residents frequently discuss and correspond with authorities regarding issues such as the covering of open drains, sewer flow, park and open gym maintenance, parking congestion, drain cleaning, road and street upkeep, sanitation, monkey and dog nuisance, eradication of dark spots, garbage disposal, and park maintenance.
Sanjiv Gupta, an office-bearer of the Residents Welfare Association, emphasized, “Traffic congestion, roadside encroachment, waste dumping, rainy season water logging, and mosquito nuisance are significant concerns. Residents demand prompt solutions to these issues, particularly during the monsoon when new challenges arise, necessitating seamless coordination among agencies.
Manoj Kumar, a school teacher residing in GK 1, commented, “Living in Greater Kailash has its merits and drawbacks. The locality offers central accessibility, excellent public transport connectivity, upscale amenities, and a high level of safety. However, the steep cost of living, including exorbitant rents and property prices, along with traffic congestion during peak hours and limited parking, pose challenges.”
Addressing the dog menace in Greater Kailash, a resident suggested prioritising stray dog sterilization and taking action against stray animals/cattle to mitigate accidents caused by their presence.
Similarly, residents called for a comprehensive action plan to tackle the monkey nuisance effectively.