Single agency to do development work in illegal colonies

In a serious bid to keep its votebank intact, the AAP government has decided that all developmental work would be carried out through a single agency in all 1,639 unauthorised colonies in the city.

The government move to give all the powers to the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (DSIIDC) to execute all developmental work in the unauthorised colonies is being interpreted in the political circles as an attempt by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to please his voters in this crucial segment which had whole heartedly supported his party in the last Assembly elections.

Keeping an eye on the byelections in 13 municipal wards, the AAP government’s move to hand over all development work to the DSIIDC is also a serious attempt to put an end to the confusion prevailing in getting work done in these colonies due to multiplicity of authorities in the city. At present, different agencies such as public works department, irrigation and flood control wing and three BJP-led municipal bodies — SDMC, NDMC and EDMC — are primarily responsible for carrying out developmental work in the unauthorised colonies.

In the last Assembly elections, Mr Kejriwal had campaigned rigorously in the unauthorised colonies and had also promised that each of these would be regularised in due course of time. Now, the AAP has already announced that it would be contesting in all the 13 municipal wards in the coming bypolls expected to be held in the second week of May. “That’s precisely, why the party wants to send a clear message that it wants to seriously carry out development work in the unauthorised colonies,” an AAP functionary told this newspaper.

In its order, the AAP government has stated that in order to avoid confusion due to multiplicity of authorities, resulting in duplication of work, lack of uniform quality and standards in the maintenance and development work, all such work will be assigned for execution in the unauthorised colonies to the DSIIDC as the sole agency. But the order has made it clear that no ongoing work would be taken over by the DSIIDC as it may lead to confusion.

The order said: “It is, further, reiterated that each executing agency (other than the DSIIDC), working in a particular unauthorised colony, shall prepare an account of development work carried out in all the unauthorised colonies (with colony-wise physical and financial status), estimates developed for future work, if any, records along with certified copies of vouchers and expenditure statement and transmit the same to the DSIIDC.”

The agencies have also been directed to ensure that the work is carried out in accordance with the set guidelines. The government has directed the commissioners of the three municipal bodies, principal secretary (PWD), principal secretary (irrigation and flood control) and MD of the DSIIDC to take necessary action in this regard.