Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, along with public works department (PWD) engineers, took to the streets on Monday to inspect the condition of several major roads across the national capital. The inspections are part of the government’s efforts to ensure smoother travel for Delhiites ahead of the Diwali festivities, with a commitment to making all roads “pothole-free” by the end of October.
Inspection of Key Roads in South Delhi
During her inspections, Atishi visited several key areas in South Delhi, including the NSIC Okhla, Modi Mill flyover, Chirag Dilli, Tughlakabad, Mathura Road, Ashram Chowk, and its underpass. According to her, many of these roads were in a “dilapidated condition,” with large potholes posing risks to commuters.
Speaking after the inspection, Atishi expressed her concerns about the poor state of the roads. “Potholes on these roads create problems for people,” she said. She assured residents that the necessary repair work would begin immediately, following orders to the concerned officials.
“Under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal, it is our endeavour that all Delhiites get pothole-free roads by Diwali,” she emphasized, reiterating the government’s promise of a smooth ride for the city’s residents during the festive season.
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City-Wide Inspections by AAP Ministers
In addition to Atishi’s inspection in South Delhi, other senior ministers from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government were also involved in similar exercises across the city. Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia led inspections in East Delhi, while other ministers, including Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat, were tasked with checking road conditions in various other parts of Delhi.
- Gopal Rai focused on road inspections in northeast Delhi.
- Kailash Gahlot oversaw inspections in west and southwest Delhi.
- Imran Hussain covered the central and New Delhi areas.
- Mukesh Ahlawat examined the road conditions in the north and northwest regions of the capital.
Atishi, on Sunday, had convened a meeting to evaluate the condition of Delhi’s roads, announcing that ministers would be spending the week inspecting their respective areas. Following these inspections, repair work would commence with the target of completing it by the end of October, ensuring that the city’s roads would be in top condition by Diwali.
Political Criticism from BJP’s Manoj Tiwari
While the AAP government ramps up its efforts to improve road conditions, opposition parties have been quick to criticize these inspections. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused the AAP leadership of waking up too late to the city’s infrastructure needs, alleging that the government had been inactive for nearly five years. He claimed that the current road inspection efforts were nothing more than a last-minute show to impress voters ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
In a pointed statement, Tiwari took a jab at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asserting that his absence from these inspections showed his ineffectiveness as a leader. “The visit made by Atishi today has proved that Arvind Kejriwal was a useless chief minister. As chief minister, Kejriwal never came on the roads to inspect them,” Tiwari remarked.
He further stated that the people of Delhi had seen through the “theatrics” of the AAP government and would vote them out in the upcoming elections. Tiwari’s criticism reflects the heightened political tension in the capital as infrastructure issues take center stage ahead of the electoral season.
AAP Leaders Respond to Political Attacks
In response to Tiwari’s allegations, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took to social media to defend the government’s work. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sisodia alleged that the BJP had falsely imprisoned him and Chief Minister Kejriwal in an attempt to obstruct the development work being done by the AAP government for the benefit of Delhi’s residents.
Sisodia pointed out that as a result of the BJP’s interference, the condition of roads across the city had worsened in recent months. However, he maintained that the AAP government was now taking swift action to address these issues, with a focus on repairing and improving the city’s infrastructure ahead of Diwali.
