Residents of Shalimar Bagh want better toilets, more parking space

The Shalimar Bagh constituency, traditionally a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party, seems to have a fierce Aam Aadmi Party wave and the AAP is pressing all its resources to win this seat.

From 1993 to 2008, the BJP has won the Shalimar Bagh constituency in north-west Delhi, which has over 1.40 lakh electorate. But the last Delhi Assembly elections saw a surge of AAP across the capital and Shalimar Bagh was no exception. AAP’s Bandana Kumari defeated the then three-time sitting BJP MLA Ravinder Nath Bansal.

Since then, the AAP supporters have increased. “The Aam Aadmi Party has touched the right issues in the constituency. And it has been working for the development of the area,” said Vinod Kumar, a resident of Pitampura. “But the area needs an adequate parking space.”

Some people have mixed reaction about the changing political arena. “We need a stable government that will complete its term instead of quitting the office and leaving people in the lurch,” said Alka Joshi, a schoolteacher in Pitampura.

The constituency comprises Haiderpur Village, Pitampura, Shalimar Village, Banjara Basti and juggi jhopri clusters.

Mere political plank
Vendors in the area said they have been used by different parties as mere political plank. “It doesn’t matter which party comes to power because people like us are more concerned about earning livelihood instead of politics,” said Mohd Arif, who sells fruit on his cart.

“We only come to notice of political parties during elections, but after the polls get over, they forget us,” he added.

Residents of JJ clusters in Indira Camp complained of lack of adequate water facilities and toilets.

“The public toilet in our area was shut for over three years, but nobody cared. The toilet became functional only during the elections. Do you think it’s a coincidence?” said Shanti Bhandari, who lives in slum cluster in Pitampura block A. “We need good-quality drinking water and proper toilet facility.”

Some locals said they are looking for a change. “Fear of getting removed from power will make parties work for the real development in the area. For instance, the BJP became too complacent so the AAP won last time.

For the last one year, the AAP has not done anything in the constituency. Their excuse is that there was no government but then who threw it away?” said Amit Bhardwaj, a government official.

Asked if he would vote for the third favourite party (Congress), he said, “Yes, I wouldn’t mind voting for it.”

Development is the common agenda among all the four parties – AAP, BJP, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party – contesting 2015 Delhi Assembly elections. Besides, five independent candidates are also in the fray from the constituency.
DH News Service