If you happen to live in Dwarka Sector 10, chances are that you have
assumed that there is no pedestrian lane behind the residential
societies Vinayak Apartments, Sanskriti Apartments and Apna Ghar
Apartments. After all, there is only a mesh of garbage and wild bushes
behind these apartments. The truth, however, is different. Underneath
the garbage and underbrush there is actually a pedestrian lane people
can use to reach nearby Metro stations and private schools.
So what happened to it?
Civic apathy.
According to residents, the indifference of civic bodies is the
reason this lane can no longer be used. Neither the municipal
corporation, nor Delhi Development Authority has taken the onus of
maintenance. Worse, the streetlights of this lane are defunct, turning
it into a security threat.
Rakesh Kalsi, president of the Vinayak Apartments RWA, says, “I have
seen this lane in bad shape for more than five years now. We somehow
managed to get it cleaned in July by the municipal corporation workers.
But not before they told us that the lane was in the jurisdiction of DDA
and hence DDA should be responsible for its upkeep.”
When in good condition, this back lane was used by bikers. Today it
is nothing more than a garbage dump. “We want this lane to be
maintained, as it connects the Sector 10 Metro station and some private
schools in the neighbourhood to our societies,” informed Kalsi.
Prateek Gaur, a resident of Sector 10, said, “This lane is a
convenient short cut to the Golak Dham temple and the market. Civic
bodies need to maintain it.”
“I had raised this issue when I met the mayor of SDMC, Kamaljeet
Sehrawat. She had assured me that she would urge DDA to maintain the
lane. However, even after three months, nothing has been achieved,”
Kalsi added.
