MCD polls | 5 civic issues in focus as Delhi votes

Delhi votes for civic polls on Sunday after a long fierce battle between contending BJP, Congress, and AAP as they promise "permanent" solutions for issues ranging from sanitation, congestion issue, parking problem among others.

With Delhi polling for the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) elections, the first since the national capital’s three civic bodies were merged into one earlier this year, voters can easily notice at least five key MCD issues, right as they step out of their homes to exercise their fundamental right. A plethora of civic problems in the city have driven a high-octane battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party as they bid on their “creative” solutions to win control over city administration.

New Delhi: A wheelchair bound voter before casting his vote for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, at a polling station in Majnu-ka-tilla area, Sunday.(PTI)

Here are five key MCD issues at the centre of civic polls:

1) Sanitation has been at the forefront of the bitter battle between the BJP, which controls MCD at present, and the AAP, the ruling party in the national capital. Ghaziabad landfill issue, poorly maintained streets, and the never-ending froth-saga of Yamuna river have dominated the poll chapter throughout.

2) Congestion issues remain a nightmare for local residents as the city struggles with increased population density. Excessive commercialisation, illegal constructions, and narrow lanes especially in Old Delhi areas have caused much public frustration about how MCD discharges its duties. “Old Delhi increasingly looks like a massive warehouse. There is heavy commercialisation. Wholesale markets selling spices, books, fabrics, electricals, and almost everything under the sun can be found here. The footfall in the area has increased manifold over the last decade due to which there is a lot of congestion. There is no space left for people to walk,” a local resident, Kashish Badar who lives in the vicinity of Jama Masjid had earlier told HT.

3) Parking problem is one that is partly a consequence of the congestion issue. An HT report said that in 2021, an average of 548 vehicles were registered every day here which makes parking problems huge in the city, aggravated by inadequate parking facilities.

4) As the AAP targeted the BJP over the landfill issue, it was met with retaliation over the air pollution crisis in the Union territory. Deteriorating air quality during winter remains a long-standing issue in Delhi. As the city geared up to vote for civic polls on Sunday, it woke up to an AQI of around 400 amid an unwavering challenge towards making Delhi “liveable.”

5) The additional problem created by illegally constructed buildings is the increased stress on the water supply. “The groundwater table is going down and people have to rely on packaged water since the groundwater is not fit for drinking and cooking. I really don’t think the situation is going to change in favor of the residents, a Chandani Chowk resident, Ashok Mathur told HT as he raised concern over the place becoming a fire hazard due to unchecked construction.

(With inputs from bureau)