Gurgaon civic polls: Sec 23A want ward alignment changed

Residents of Sector 23A have threatened to boycott civic body polls if the municipal authority does not heed their objections and change the contours of their ward. They said that the sector has been included in a ward that spans across the railway line, up to Dwarka Expressway.

Residents of Sector 23A have threatened to boycott civic body polls if the municipal authority does not heed their objections and change the contours of their ward. They said that the sector has been included in a ward that spans across the railway line, up to Dwarka Expressway.

Residents of Sector 23A have threatened to boycott civic body polls if the municipal authority does not heed their objections and change the contours of their ward. They said that the sector has been included in a ward that spans across the railway line, up to Dwarka Expressway. (HT File)

The residents’ welfare association (RWA) of Sector 23A presented its case on Wednesday to the joint commissioner of MCG zone 2, Anu.

“We submitted to the appellate authority that the delimitation exercise has not been carried out in the right spirit. How can Palam Vihar, Sector 23A, New Palam Vihar, areas along the Sheetla Mata road and those beyond the railway line be clubbed?” said Bhawani Shanker Tripathy, general secretary of the RWA.

Residents said that although sectors 23 and 23A are parts of a single Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) sector with sequential house numbering, they have been placed in two different wards.

Residents said that both the sectors are part of one area and should be listed together but Sector 23A has been proposed in ward 2, whereas Sector 23 is in ward 3. “If corrective measures are not taken, we will boycott polls,” Tripathy said.

Residents also pointed out that the ward 2 includes northern peripheral road, Sector 111 and extends through New Palam Vihar, Palam Vihar, Carterpuri, Sector 23A, Old Gurgaon Road, Gurgaon 1, Atul Kataria Chowk and Sheetla Mata Road.

“There is no natural demarcation or alignment of the areas in the ward. This has been done to cater to the political needs of a particular party. There is a need redraw the wards,” Bhim Singh Yadav, who plans to contest the municipal election, said.

“The geographical area of ward 2 is too large as a result of which the number of residents in the ward exceeds the maximum limit of 50,000 people, as per the norm. Also, this area falls under an authorised colony. As our sector is included in ward 2, progress and infrastructure works will be slow,” Yadav said.

The joint commissioner assured residents that she will send a report on the objections raised the residents.