Games over, projects still on, residents upset

The Commonwealth Games are over, but not the woes of Delhi residents, who are still suffering due to the digging being carried out by the power transmission utility.

The Commonwealth Games are over, but not the woes of Delhi residents, who are still suffering due to the digging being carried out by the power transmission utility.

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Residents of RK Puram's sector 13 and adjoining areas are finding it difficult to venture out as the lane in front of their houses has been dug up by Transco Limited for laying cables.

The stretch was dug up before the Games, and work officially had to be completed before they ended, but it is still continuing.

The recent rains have added to the trouble as the entire stretch has become muddy and residents are unable to take their vehicles out.

The stretch has also been barricaded by the power transmission utility for the work.

"It has been seven months since the road was first dug up. First they said they were laying a sewer line and now they are laying cables. As the stretch has been barricaded, we have to take a long detour to reach the main road," said Jai Shankar, a resident of sector 13, RK Puram.

Aanchal Chauhan, who lives in Aradhana Apartments in the same sector, said, "The area has become so messy. It is difficult to save my shoes and clothes from getting splattered with mud when I leave for office in the morning. It gets very embarrassing for me."

Officials said that the work was likely to continue for at least another four months.

"We are digging to try and connect the ridge valley substation near Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College to a new sub-station at AIIMS Trauma Centre. We had taken the resident welfare associations in confidence before staring work," said an official of Transco limited.

He added, "We had to stop work in between due to the Games but we have started it again after getting a green signal from the Public Works Department (PWD)."

When contacted, a senior PWD official said, "The recent rain has added to the chaos in the area. We will carry out some minor repairs on the road so that people don't face problems."