LG Saxena flags ‘hellish conditions’ in parts of Delhi; AAP leaders say ‘will fix’

AAP MP Sanjay Singh said that the LG was acting at the behest of the BJP. The BJP said that the AAP had pushed back Delhi by 25 years.

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Sunday flagged the “hellish” conditions the residents of Rangpuri Pahari in south Delhi and Kapashera in southwest Delhi are living in, as he highlighted the lack of basic amenities in these areas and asked the government to fix the “pathetic situation”.

A screengrab from a video shared by the LG of his inspection of the two areas on Saturday. (HT Photo)

In response, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders said they will work to rectify these issues. However, MP Sanjay Singh said that the LG was acting on the directions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Later in the day, chief minister Atishi visited Rangpuri Pahari area to assess the conditions.

The BJP, meanwhile, slammed the AAP government for the alleged backwardness in Delhi’s infrastructure.

Posting a video on social media platform X, Saxena said that he visited the two areas on Saturday and found no adequate drainage system, roads or power supply.

“These areas also lack basic civic amenities and services. There is no drainage system due to which the narrow lanes are constantly filled with silt and dirty water. There is no trace of roads. Power supply is extremely erratic. There is an acute shortage of drinking water, forcing the women to carry water in buckets from the tanker that comes once every seven or eight days,” he said.

“Residents of the area expressed their problems regarding inadequate electricity supply, irregular water distribution, heaps of garbage on the roads and complete lack of cleanliness. A large number of residents complained about power cuts lasting eight to 10 hours daily and showed me huge electricity bills contrary to the Delhi government’s claims of providing free electricity,” his post read.

“I urge the former chief minister, the current chief minister and the concerned ministers of the Delhi government to visit these areas and see the hellish conditions themselves. They should take immediate steps to improve this pathetic situation,” the post added.

Saxena also said that the officials of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other authorities suggested solutions to improve the conditions in these areas, including a cleanliness drive. “I have assured the people that the cleanliness drive will start from tomorrow and I will personally monitor the progress of these efforts to ensure that the residents get at least the basic amenities for a quality life,” he said on X.

Reacting to the post, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the LG for “flagging the shortcomings”.

“We will rectify them all. Earlier, he had flagged conditions in Nangloi and soon Delhi chief minister Atishi will inaugurate the road construction work there. We will also get these areas cleared. I request the LG to tell us our shortcomings and we will work on them,” he said.

Later in the day, Atishi inspected Rangpuri Pahari and assured that the problems relating to sanitation, drains, roads and electricity will be solved soon. “I would also like to thank LG sahab for making us aware of the problems here. If LG sahab sees any problem like this, he must tell us, we will solve it immediately,” she said on X.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said: “Now that the elections are right at our doorstep, the AAP government is carrying out a drama of innocence. Whether it is Rangpuri or Sunder Nagari, the situation is terrible across Delhi. Delhi has been pushed 25 years back. The government is not working honestly which is why LG had to flag these issues.”