NEW DELHI: A year after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena pulled up officials over the “miserable” civic conditions in Rangpuri Pahari, residents of the South Delhi locality say nothing has changed on the ground.
Overflowing drains, heaps of garbage, erratic water supply, and power cuts continue to define daily life, while promises made by officials remain unfulfilled.
Saxena had visited the area last year and directed civic agencies to carry out a complete cleanup, repair roads, and restore basic amenities. But residents say the situation has only worsened. “No work has been done here for many, many years. A few months ago, they just cleaned the drains near the entry point. This used to be a lake,” said Shambhu, 58, pointing at a garbage-strewn plot. “Now it’s a dumpyard.”
Across the settlement, narrow lanes are lined with open drains overflowing with sewage. Several houses built over drains were recently demolished by authorities. However, locals allege that no steps were taken afterwards to clean or cover the channels, which remain clogged.
Basic amenities are scarce. Most homes depend on borewells for water, while a single tanker caters to the entire locality for drinking water. “People often fight to get their share,” said a resident. Power cuts are also frequent and can last for several hours.
Children are seen playing amid mounds of construction debris in what remains of their playgrounds. “The other playgrounds were destroyed. When we take our kids to parks near societies, they don’t let us in,” said a resident. A community hall nearby remains half-built.
Manju, 42, who runs free tuition classes for children, said her students have to clean the space before lessons begin. “The first thing they do is sweep away the garbage that piles up every day. All I want is a small, clean area where I can teach,” she said.
During the monsoon, residents often wade through waist-deep water. Lakhan, 38, said it has been nearly 15 years since the internal roads were paved. “I spent my own money to fix the road in front of my house so two-wheelers can enter. But if I try to repair my roof, the authorities stop me,” he said. Residents allege that both local leaders and officials have stayed away since the elections. “The L-G and MLA came, made promises, and left,” said Shambhu. “After that, we never saw them again.”