Kejriwal launches new roads, drainage at Mahipalpur in Delhi

The CM also said his government has carried out several projects in the Capital’s unauthorised colonies

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday inaugurated infrastructure development works related to roads and drains at Mahipalpur in south Delhi — which falls under the Bijwasan assembly constituency — and vowed to finish work in the area’s unauthorised colonies by next year.

CM Arvind Kejriwal at the inauguration ceremony. (HT Photo)

Kejriwal said, “All broken roads and drains in Mahipalpur K2 Block have been constructed at a cost of ₹8 crore... Almost 4km long roads and drains have been constructed which will benefit 20,000 people. Since Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power, 995 roads have been constructed in Bijwasan, totalling 85km. Fifty-eight more roads are being constructed at the cost of ₹18 crore. In Bijwasan, there are 40 colonies, out of which infrastructure work has been done in 33 colonies, and will be finished in the remaining colonies by next year.”

Kejriwal said some work is remaining due to lack of availability of land. “I will talk to the LG (lieutenant governor VK Saxena) and will get the land for developing a sewage treatment plant,” he said.

The CM also said his government has carried out several projects in the Capital’s unauthorised colonies

“Till now, the people of Delhi living in unauthorised colonies were exploited for political purposes, mostly during elections, and were then ignored. Unauthorised colonies faced severe problems related to sewer pipelines, and roads just did not exist. Delhi has around 1,800 unauthorised colonies. Till 2015, only 250 unauthorised colonies had roads, and in the last seven years we have developed roads in 825… In all remaining colonies by the end of next year, roads will be constructed,” said Kejriwal.

“Before we formed the government, 850 colonies had water pipelines. Now all 1,800 unauthorised colonies have water pipelines… Earlier, only 230 unauthorised colonies had sewer lines and in the last eight years, 750 new colonies got sewer lines,” he said.

“India can become the number 1 country only when every child receives good education, there is a hospital and school in every corner,” he added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, accused the Delhi government of spending public money on events, and sought answers on alleged scams such as the CM’s bungalow renovation, and the excise policy.