AAP appoints coordinators to manage 12 zones of MCD

This is a first of its kind arrangement by any political party that has ruled Delhi’s civic body. Party leaders also said they will hold a series of training sessions for the newly elected 134 AAP municipal councillors

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said that it will appoint four coordinators to oversee functioning of the 12 MCD zones, a first of its kind arrangement by any political party that has ruled the Delhi’s civic body.

A view of the MCD civic centre building in New Delhi. (HT Archive)

Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Saturday said they were setting up a new system under which Kalkaji MLA Atishi, Rajinder Nagar MLA Durgesh Pathak, Azadpur market Mandi chairman Adil Khan and Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj co-ordinate works in three MCD zones each. “They will remain in touch with you and if you face anyone issue they will always be available. They will coordinate with your training and other routine works. 30-40 councilors will be in each group,” Sisodia told the newly elected councillors of the party.

The AAP has won 134 of the total 250 wards in the latest MCD elections.

Party leaders also said that they will hold a series of training sessions for the newly elected 134 AAP municipal councillors.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi is one of the largest municipal bodies in the world providing civic services to approximately 20 million citizens of Delhi. It’s administrative area is sub-divided into 12 zones --Centre, South, West, Najafgarh, Rohini, Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, SP-City, Keshavpuram, Narela, Shahdara North and Shahdara South

Civil Lines, Rohini and Najafgarh zones will be handled by Adil Khan; Narela, Keshavpuram and West zone by Saurabh Bharadwaj; City-SP, Karol Bagh and Shahdra North zone will be managed by Durgesh Pathak; Kalkaji MLA Atishi will be the coordinator for Central, South and Shahdra South zones. Sisodia said.

Talking about the party strategy to run AAP’s government in the MCD, Bharadwaj said, “They (the councillors) will be trained about how to create a repository of public grievances and how to handle them, how to deal with departments and what funds are available to the councillors, which works can be carried out under maintenance and how to communicate with the electorate,” he added.

He added that each councillor will be trained to create a WhatsApp group in each colony and mohalla. “Now, people will welcome the new councilors. You should take phone numbers of all of them and form grievance redressal groups. We will also check if some messages are to be sent to the top party leadership,” Bharadwaj added.

AAP national convener Gopal Rai said that the new councillors should take up the mission of cleaning Delhi in a campaign mode. “Cleaning Delhi is our first guarantee. Councillors should befriend the sanitation staff...We will show Delhi how complete cleanliness can be achieved,” he added

AAP MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said the party is making a day-wise agenda for MCD. “A back-end team has been formed. We will seek help from the experts. Presentations will be made by national and global experts on the issues of sanitation and other issues facing MCD,” he added.