Where Progress Has Run Into Wall Of Apathy

The narrow streets crisscrossing Matia Mahal hold many historic testimonies, but they seem to have lost their glorious past. A walk from Jama Masjid to Delhi Gate via Sitaram Bazar and from Turkman Gate to Ajmeri Gate is enough to tell that the Walled City is marred with apathy and negligence.

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New Delhi: 

Broken streets and pavements, garbage dumped everywhere, dangling wires, poor sewerage, illegal parking, unauthorised construction, lack of hygiene, encroachment and street dog menace are some of the issues plaguing the area. But poor sanitation tops the list with residents annoyed at the status quo keeping the amalgamated municipal blocks — Sitaram Bazar, Delhi Gate and Chandni Mahal — in shackles and preventing them from prospering.

The area hasn’t witnessed any development since 2017 and the only major change is creation of a new municipal block and shuffling of wards under the delimitation process. The Chandni Mahal block was created by replacing Ajmeri Gate and adding parts of Delhi Gate.

Ajmeri Gate’s former councillor, AAP’s Rakesh Kumar, is making his wife, Kiran Rakesh, contest from Delhi Gate, which is reserved for SC-Women this year. He alleged that through delimitation, the Hindu and Muslim vote share was altered.