Road repair promise falls short, Delhiites voice growing frustration
NEW DELHI: Despite Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena’s ambitious plan to create a pothole-free capital by Diwali, many roads remain in a state of disrepair, leaving residents frustrated and concerned about their safety. The Delhi government had set an aggressive target to repair nearly 1,400 km of roads by the festive season, but records indicate the Public Works Department (PWD) has fallen far behind, with complaints piling up daily.
In localities across Delhi, commuters are continuing to grapple with potholes, broken roads, and unaddressed mud patches, making travel difficult and dangerous. Sangeeta Kumari, a resident of Tughlakabad, expressed her frustration, “The condition of roads is so bad, especially in the lanes, the government does not even notice. The roads are broken, which makes it very difficult for even cars to enter. Because of all this, even the garbage truck cannot come inside, and people are forced to throw garbage on the roads.”
With over 2,700 complaints related to potholes in November alone, residents are growing increasingly impatient. Of these, more than 1,000 remain unresolved. “I’ve had to drive over these craters every day for weeks. It’s not only damaging my vehicle but putting me and my children at risk,” said Manish Verma, a resident of East Delhi. “The promises they made in September about repairing roads by Diwali feel like a distant dream.”
While Atishi had earlier assured that all repairs would be completed by the end of October, many roads, including critical sections of the Outer Ring Road, remain in a hazardous state. These issues have led to serious traffic jams, raising concerns about public safety. A recent report from the Delhi Transport Department flagged several locations like Mukarba Chowk and Kashmere Gate as high-risk zones, where the poor condition of roads has contributed to fatal accidents.
Swati Maliwal, Rajya Sabha MP, sharply criticised the Delhi government during her visit to Kalkaji for its failure to address the worsening road crisis in Chief Minister Atishi’s own constituency. She emphasised the dangerous condition of streets in Govindpuri, where broken roads are causing injuries to residents, including the elderly and children. Maliwal questioned why Atishi couldn’t improve the infrastructure in her own area, if she was to oversee the rest of Delhi. She also pointed to the lack of coordination between the PWD, DMRC, and NCRTC, which had worsened road conditions due to ongoing projects. Despite inspections by officials, residents remain disheartened as repairs are still pending.
