People see BJP, AAP rivalry holding up regularisation

NEW DELHI: “Have you seen the height of this drain?” asks Saroj, a resident of D block in Qutub Vihar Phase II, pointing to the drains being built about 3-4 feet above the ground, covering half of the entrances of homes and shops.

Qutub Vihar Phase II is one of the 1,728 previously unauthorised colonies in the national capital that have been recently regularised by the Narendra Modi government with the promise of giving ownership rights to residents. Saroj, who has been living in the colony for 20 years, is irked with the new drainage work initiated by the Delhi government.

“Are we regularised?” said Usha Saini, another resident. “If we are, then why not plan sewer network? Do a survey. Give us proper facilities. Why this lip service ahead of elections?”


Regularisation of unauthorised colonies has been at the centre of a political wrangling between Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and the BJP government at the Centre, with both claiming to have done more for the residents.

ET spent a day in the Matiala assembly constituency, which has the most number of now-regularised unauthorised colonies, to gauge whether regularisation is a game changer that would influence results of the upcoming assembly elections.

Development Works: A pain point
Though Delhi government has been advertising the mega bucks they have spent in the development works, on the ground residents are complaining about poor planning and the inconvenience these works would cause in the future. Saroj, who has a three-floor house with a small grocery store on the ground floor, said, “In the name of drainage they are constructing these drains which are so high that it would mean raising our houses.”

At several places in the colony and neighbouring Qutub Vihar Phase I, the residents have prevented the construction of these drains. Lakshmi Devi, another resident, said this “fill in the blank” kind of development would not work.

Ownership Rights: A poll promise
If AAP’s development works are not cutting much ice, the Centre’s ownership rights in the unauthorised colonies is also being looked at with scepticism. “I haven’t registered for the scheme to get ownership rights. In 2008, even Sheila Dikshit had distributed certificates in several colonies giving the same rights. Even I got a certificate. But it had no meaning and the residents tore them many years later,” said Shambhu Kumar Jha, a chemist in Goyla Dairy. A BJP functionary, who did not wish to be identified, told ET: “People know that they would not get proper registration till Delhi government comes on board. Plus, DDA’s portal has several glitches....”

“On paper, councillor is spending money on door-to-door garbage collection and MLA is funding construction of concrete roads,” said Mahendar, a resident of Goyla Dairy. “But you can see the reality. They remember us once in five years.”

Slum Voters: A tilting point
The slum dwellers seem to be the only electorate convinced about the certificates of in-situ pucca houses given by Delhi government earlier this month. “The Delhi government truly wants to work for the poorest of the poor,” said Anni, a resident of Goyla Dairy.