Noida resident bodies meet state BJP vice-president, demand better facilities

Noida: Office bearers of various resident bodies met Uttar Pradesh BJP vice-president AK Sharma on Sunday and raised concerns about development works, and demanded better public representation in the city

Noida: Office bearers of various resident bodies met Uttar Pradesh BJP vice-president AK Sharma on Sunday and raised concerns about development works, and demanded better public representation in the city.

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According to the officials of different umbrella organisations and forums, they are often “under represented, and there are lags in communication with the development authorities” in the absence of municipal bodies in the district. The RWAs also demanded better amenities and “protection from real estate frauds”.

“We, as a resident association, have demanded proper representation in the city and empowerment. For now, there is a lag in communication between resident bodies and development authorities, and even for nominal work like getting a road fixed in our sector or for development of a park we need to pursue the Noida authority. Since there are no municipalities in the district or panchayats in the villages in Noida, there is lack of public representation in the city which is crucial for the developmental works,” said NP Singh, president, District Development Residents Welfare Association (DDRWA), an umbrella organisation of all the RWAs of Gautam Budh Nagar.

Singh also said that while the district has nearly 16 lakh registered voters, and the total number of residents is much higher, with Noida being home to a large number of floating migrant population, there is a need to empower the residents directly.

“In absence of gram pradhans in villages and councillors in development bodies in Noida, there is a need to empower the RWAs,” he added.

Rajiva Singh, president, Noida federation of apartment owners associations (NOFAA), one of the largest federations representing high-rise housing complexes, said that while the administration or the authority calls the RWAs for meetings, the same is not being regularised.

“A few years ago, there was a citizen forum where the chief of the district’s police staff, CEO of Noida authority, and the district magistrate used to hold talks with the RWAs or resident bodies every month. That doesn’t happen anymore. We shared all civic issues, including environmental issues, with Mr Sharma and had demented further audience where we can talk in detail.”

On a three-day visit to western Uttar Pradesh, AK Sharma, who is a voter from the Dadri constituency of Gautam Budh Nagar, said that Noida is his second home.

On Sunday, he assured help from the state and central governments to the people. “Issues faced by the people are my problems. That’s the main reason behind today’s meeting, with the residents and their representatives... Noida is an industrial township that has progressed in leaps and bounds, and people from NCR and also across the country prefer living in this city the most. Our party, and government is committed to resolve all the problems faced by the residents here,” said Sharma.

Sharma also suggested the RWAs be ready to welcome foreigners with open arms and hospitality if they want Noida to be the biggest investor hub in Uttar Pradesh, and eventually in India. He also said that Noida is a smart “Plug-n-Play” city where the infrastructure has been developed in a way that entrepreneurs and residents feel comfortable there.