Kejriwal opens elevated road in Outer Delhi, hits out at Centre

Firing a fresh salvo at the Centre, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday accused it of “creating hurdles unsparingly” before the Delhi government and asserted that he stood as a “wall” between his ministers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi dispensation.

“The Centre has been unsparing in creating hurdles for us in carrying out our work. They have created so much trouble for us. They want to embarass us (Centre ne adchane adane mey koi kasar nahin chhodi hay. Hamari aisi ki taisi karne mey koi kasar nahin chhodi hay),” he alleged.

Kejriwal was speaking at the inauguration of the third-phase of 23-km Vikaspuri-Wazirabad signal-free elevated corridor from Madhuban Chowk to Mukarba Chowk in Outer Delhi.

Kejriwal asserted that he stood as “wall” between the Delhi government and the Centre. “I have not kept any portfolios with myself. I am standing like a wall between my ministers and the Central government. And, I won’t let my ministers be troubled by the Centre. I will take care of it all by myself (Sab sambhal loong akela),” he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi dispensation and the Centre have engaged in bitter political battles in the past over several issues, including control over administration and the city police. 

“I feel sad...And, if the Centre had shown positive attitude and supported us, we (Delhi government) would have done ten times more work than what we have done so far,” he said. “So, I hope the Centre will open their eyes now and see the reality,” he said.

The 3.8-km-long stretch was built in 30 months at a cost of Rs 300 crore against the sanctioned Rs 421.79 crore. The Vikaspuri-Wazirabad corridor project was an initiative of the Sheila Dikshit dispensation. Kejriwal said, “Our PWD engineers and officials must be applauded and awarded for carrying out this project in lesser time and for bringing down the construction cost by Rs 120 crore.” 

A section of Congress workers led by a former MLA protested near the flyover, waved black flags and shouted anti-Kejriwal slogans, accusing him of “taking credit” for the work that was done by the Sheila Dikshit government.

“Kejriwal claims that nearly Rs 350 crore has been saved in this corridor project, spanning three phases. We want to ask him how was that. The Chief Minister claims that amount has been saved by using innovative techniques, but I did not get any such information when I sought it under the RTI,” said former Badli Congress MLA Devendra Yadav.