Delhi constituency watch: In GK, civic issues belie idea of opulence

Nearly 200,000 voters here suffer from irregular water supply, sewage, poor traffic management, bad up streets, parking issues, waterlogging

Synonymous with affluent markets and upscale residential areas, the Greater Kailash assembly constituencies is one of the wealthiest seats in Delhi, largely covering an area where large houses, fancy boutiques meet tree-lined streets.

Delhi constituency watch: In GK, civic issues belie idea of opulence

But beneath the shimmering veneer of elegance, the seat is a study in contrasts. For its nearly 200,000 voters, a web of festering civic woes — irregular water, sewage woes, poor traffic management, narrow and dug-up streets, parking issues, and waterlogging –– will form the crux on which their vote will swing.

The electorate of the seat comprises several prosperous neighbourhoods — Greater Kailash 1, Greater Kailash 2, and Panchsheel Park — along with upper-middle class locales such as Chittaranjan Park, Masjid Moth, Asiad Village and Kailash Colony, among others.

Beside these upscale areas are urban villages such as Zamrudpur and Shahpur Jat, along with slum clusters such as Jagdamba Camp.

Together, they expose the uneven realities of this wealthy seat.

The seat has 187,873 voters — 98,891 men, 88,973 women, and nine people from the third gender.

The constituency is represented by Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj — a three-time MLA who has won the seat in every assembly elections since 2013 with a margin of at least 13,000 votes.

As the February 5 assembly elections approach, Bharadwaj faces a fresh set of challenges from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Shikha Rai, whom he defeated in 2020, and Congress candidate Garvit Singhvi. This high-stakes contest is underpinned by simmering civic issues that could redefine voter loyalties.

For Bharadwaj, these elections are a test of his legacy.

“The people trust Arvind Kejriwal’s governance. They’ve seen the changes we’ve brought. In 2013, MLAs didn’t visit villages or unauthorised colonies. Today, even BJP supporters acknowledge that we get the work done,” he said, adding that he no longer campaigns with the intensity of his earlier years because voters already express satisfaction with his work.

His opponents feel otherwise.

BJP’s Rai argues that the constituency’s civic infrastructure has deteriorated over a decade of AAP rule.

“For 10 years, people have suffered. Summers bring water shortages; monsoons bring waterlogging. The pipelines are obsolete. We have a comprehensive plan to address these issues, including a multi-storey parking that will serve shopkeepers by day and residents by night,” she said. Rai believes anti-incumbency and a shift in voter sentiment will play in her favour.

Congress’s Singhvi, a fresh face in this race, banks on a message of unity and progress.

“We will make Greater Kailash the number one constituency in Delhi. I don’t believe in caste or class divisions; we’re reaching out to everyone. The people want development, and they know the AAP hasn’t delivered,” he said.

While political leaders exchange promises, residents grapple with everyday challenges. In the leafy lanes of Greater Kailash and Chittaranjan Park, problems such as irregular water supply, inflated bills, and uncollected garbage dominate discussions.

“There’s uncollected garbage here all the time, and we rely on tankers for water year-round,” said Biswas Bhattacharya, 70, a member of the East Pakistan Displaced People (EPDP) association and the Chittaranjan Park market association.

High water bills are another sticking point. A retired teacher from Chittaranjan Park, who declined to be named, said she has filed at least five complaints with Bharadwaj’s office. “Why am I getting a bill of ₹1 lakh from the Delhi Jal Board? These bills are false and exorbitant,” she said.

In Shahpur Jat, a hub for bridal fashion and boutiques, business owners struggle with dilapidated roads and power outages.

“Customers complain they trip in their heels on these roads. Some refuse to bring elderly family members to the shop. These issues create a bad impression,” said Priyanshi Agrawal, 30, who operates a boutique in the area. She added that tenants face steep electricity bills and recurring water shortages, with little intervention from authorities.

Yet, not all voices are critical. Some residents praise Bharadwaj’s tenure, crediting him for noticeable improvements.

Hardeep Tewatia, 37, a resident of Chirag Delhi, said, “Our streets are clean, water supply is steady, and there’s a government dispensary nearby. Occasionally, issues like waterlogging arise, but they are fixed quickly. We’ve seen positive change over the past decade.”

While parts of the constituency exude relative comfort, its urban villages and slum clusters reveal a starkly different reality. Residents of Zamrudpur, Shahpur Jat, and Jagdamba Camp say they have been overlooked by successive governments.

Overhead wires, narrow lanes, and open drains pose daily hazards.

Mohan Prakash, a factory worker from Zamrudpur, described a litany of problems. “If a fire breaks out, at least two or three buildings will be affected because everything is so congested. Overhead wires hang dangerously low, and no party has addressed these issues,” he said.

In Jagdamba Camp, Rohit Kumar, a 30-year-old delivery executive, painted a bleak picture. “We live in tiny rooms, with hardly any water. An open drain flows right in front of my house, and garbage is just left to rot. We’ve approached the municipality, but nothing has been done,” he said.

As the election looms, voters are weighing their choices carefully. Bharadwaj’s supporters cite improvements in sanitation, water supply, and public amenities as reasons to re-elect him.

“We don’t care about controversies.. All we want is good governance, and we’ve seen that under Bharadwaj,” said Tewatia.

For others, however, the BJP’s promises of infrastructure development and the Congress’s pledge of all-around progress hold greater appeal.

“We need leaders who prioritise basic amenities and respond to our concerns,” said Agrawal from Shahpur Jat.

The battle for Greater Kailash encapsulates the broader contest for Delhi.

It’s a clash between entrenched incumbency and the promise of change, between the visible progress in some areas and the glaring neglect in others.