Rain Gods smiled at Delhi
The Rain Gods smiled at Delhi this year but Dilliwalahs could not celebrate the monsoons in the manner they normally do. One couldn’t go to Nauroji Nagar for pakodas as the roads were waterlogged, the Pragati Maidan tunnel leaked, and most drains in the city overflowed. But Dilliwalahs, being who they are, stopped complaining when they saw visuals of rainwater leaking through the ceiling of the new parliament building and that blue bucket used to collect rain water became an instant hit on the social media. ‘Ab pata laga unko!’ is what Dilliwalahs exclaimed. Some even referred it as ‘art installation’. But then politicians don’t know much about installation art or of any art form as for some Ben Kingsley is Gandhi and Richard Attenborough was Gopal Krishna Gokhale!
Just when most Dilliwalahs were going berserk with blue-bucket symbolism, they were shocked to be treated to an article by the Lt Governor of Delhi in The Indian Express where he attempted to malign the already maligned AAP government. He blamed the state government of the ‘complete collapse’ of civic infrastructure. From overflowing drains to the choked sewer lines that burst open as an obligatory monsoon ritual to the potholed roads of Delhi – he nagged all and sundry (sincere apologies, Sunitajee!) just about anything and everything. This blogger, who lampoons our man AK with crazy regularity in StateOfDelhi.in blogs and is obviously not a fan of the CM, wonders as to how can a serving Lt Governor of Delhi put out an article in national press absolving himself of all responsibility – moral or otherwise, and put the blame squarely on the state government? That the CM and his Deputy were cooling their heels in Tihar Jail was also held against them.
Delhi, as the national Capital, has a special status provided by the constitution wherein the LG of Delhi in not just an ornamental head (the current incumbent doesn’t behave like one for sure). He has far more powers than any Governor of a state of the union. So one wonders if this article is an acceptance of his incompetence just to circumnavigate petty Civil Lines politics? And if the LG feels that he is not sufficiently empowered then why hasn’t he quit office on moral grounds? Dilliwalahs are confused anyway as sometime in June this year there were photographs in newspapers of the LG ordering agencies to initiate a de-silting exercise of drains on a war-footing. Did those agencies ignore his directive? If yes, then it is a clear case of insubordination and instead of a rant in the media why was no remedial action taken by him? Questions to which one will never get any answers. Not from this LG at least for he only plays KBC kind of games and has a huge question bank under his belt. Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj would vouch for this.
One is forced to go back to that statement by the Honourable Supreme Court where it slammed the LG stating that “LG thinks he is a court…there is complete non-application of mind by LG”. The highest court of the land, then, was hearing a petition on tree-felling by DDA in the protected area of Delhi’s ridge apparently with tacit approval of the LG. So let’s take that as proof that officers of Delhi administration do not ignore him completely.
StateOfDelhi Suggests: Once the monsoons fade away you must get to Chandni Chowk, Dilliwalahs. Ghantewala – one of the oldest sweet shops of Delhi has reopened. Believed to have started operations during the time of Shah Alam II in 1790s, the shop had to shut operations in 2015 much to disappointment of Dilliwalahs. However, the family has got together to reopen the establishment that once catered to not just the Mughal Kings at Red Fort but to the Prime Ministers of India from Nehru to Morarjee Desai (Nehru baiters, please note!) and many other celebrities. Go sample their Sohan Halwa which is a sweet to die for. It, however, is a matter of debate whether the Sohan Halwa will become the symbol of modern Delhi or will it be that blue bucket or will it be the pot-holed roads or will it be our poor, helpless LG. Let’s wait and watch.
Stinking sewers bursting open (did I see a faint analogy to the LG’s rants here), potholes, leakages and the famous blue bucket et al, vividly describe the state of Delhi, despite its famous sohan halwas and pakodas. Hope that blue bucket does not have a hole in the bottom !
The city just collapses when the monsoon hits. And it hits pretty these years.
Monto bridge underpass getting water logged in a childhood memory. I remember DTC bus stranded under the bridge almost completely submerged. It still happens every year. I guess one has to take comfort that in a fast changing world somethings will remain unchanged.
As children, we played a game called ‘pass the parcel.’ Today, however, Delhi’s infrastructure has been neglected due to successive governments’ ad-hoc policies. Unfortunately, the problem extends beyond politics to issues like education, moral values, and a general disregard for civic responsibility. The pursuit of wealth has overshadowed the desire to build a great India. Bureaucracy, characterized by inefficiency, lack of accountability, and a ‘chalta hai’ attitude, has further exacerbated these problems. It seems we’ve become resigned to the belief that we cannot change the situation.”
Passing the parcel it is! That’s the expression which sums it up all so well.
Perhaps it’s time for our leaders to switch from finger-pointing to flood-control measures? After all, a bucket can only hold so much! Isn’t it guys and gals 😁
What a master piece Giraj …. Continue showering the sattire well after Monsoons
Glad you liked it Dr. Rajeev Mahajan
On 28th Jun there was an average of 4 feet water inside 30 houses in Golf Links (It cant get more premier than that)…That’s higher than bed height! NDMC installed 5 BIG pumps… In July/August water still came in 7/8 houses…All the govt top brass woke up…Evidently 6000 tons of desilting happened in something called sunehri nalla…It was a quiet news thingi a few weeks ago
Imagine if this happens in Golf Links – one of the most premier colony of Delhi – then one can imagine how bad the situation is across the city. Such a shame.
Can’t comment on Ghantewala reopening as have not visited it so far…but a visit to the new Omaxe Mall in Chandni chowk is a must for everyone. Been there & would recommend it to all.
While it is true that the city sees a deluge practically every year now, it is also notable that our town planning was done many years ago. Those days, rain fell in a completely different pattern. Nowadays it is not uncommon to have eighty per cent of the city’s total monsoon quota in three straight days as was reported this year. The city is in no way prepared to handle this kind of precipitation. So this problem is not going away anytime soon. Unless of course our political class stops horsing around and gets its act together by redesigning the drainage system and by keeping aside some very huge funds for refurbishing our infrastructure.
But for now, for a while in the monsoons, Pahari Dhiraj could be labelled more premium than Golf Links. 😁