In a recent statement, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal raised serious concerns regarding the deteriorating road conditions in Delhi.
During her visit to Kalkaji, the home constituency of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, Maliwal alleged that the roads in the area were in deplorable condition, adding that the situation in the city as a whole was equally alarming.
According to Maliwal, the roads across both affluent colonies and poorer neighbourhoods were in disrepair, and heaps of garbage were left unattended.
Maliwal, who has worked on the ground in Delhi for the past two decades, expressed her dissatisfaction with the state of infrastructure, particularly in the constituency of the Chief Minister, who has held the position of Public Works Department (PWD) Minister for an extended period.
She emphasised the severity of the issue, stating that many elderly individuals and children were suffering daily due to the poor condition of the roads. Maliwal further claimed that the situation had become so critical that it was difficult for ambulances to reach those in urgent medical need, including pregnant women.
The MP questioned Chief Minister Atishi’s ability to address the concerns of her own constituency, suggesting that if she was unable to improve the condition of roads in Kalkaji, a task so fundamental to a politician's role, it raised doubts about her ability to manage the broader issues of Delhi.
Maliwal called on Atishi to connect with her constituents, understand their struggles, and offer solutions. She pointed out that residents were facing immense challenges, which included basic accessibility issues due to the damaged roads.
While Maliwal's comments were sharply critical of Atishi, the Delhi Chief Minister had recently addressed the allegations in a separate statement. Atishi, on Thursday, had accused opposition parties of orchestrating a conspiracy against Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a bid to halt his work and progress in the city.
She referred to various efforts aimed at disrupting the AAP government's initiatives, claiming that political opponents had resorted to underhanded tactics, including withholding essential services such as pensions and salaries, in an attempt to hinder the government's functioning.
In response to these claims, Maliwal's allegations added fuel to the ongoing political debate about governance and the state of infrastructure in Delhi. As the criticism over poor road conditions intensifies, both the ruling AAP government and its critics appear to be engaged in a war of words, each pointing fingers at the other.
The residents of Delhi, particularly those in Kalkaji, continue to bear the brunt of these political conflicts, facing difficulties in their everyday lives as they navigate broken roads and neglected public spaces.
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