They beg to differ with Govt on ‘beautiful Delhi’

Before the Commonwealth Games, the beggars on streets had been forcibly removed, they are back, doing what they did – begging.

Amitabh Shukla / New Delhi

Before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October, Delhi did it best to present an “international face”. The solution, it found was banishing the beggars from the streets and uprooting the slum dwellers, forcibly putting them in designated homes or putting them in trains headed to far flung areas of the country so that the foreigners do not see the underbelly of the city.

They are back now. And back with a vengeance. All streets are full of beggars so are the markets, traffic junctions and almost all religious places of the city. Not only the beggars, the people uprooted from slums too are trying t

o get back in their original place only to be shooed away. It is now clearly visible that instead of long term measures and solutions, the authorities merely undertook the short term measures and the results are there for all to see all over the national Capital.

The act of democratic India in 2010 was similar to what communist China did before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when it undertook several draconian measures to present an “international face”.

The Delhi government started a major cleanup operation before the Games and the plan was to rid the streets of the city of stray dogs, slum dwelle

rs, beggars and any stray animals that are found wandering the streets. This was considered “un Commonwealth type”. Existence of more than one lakh beggars alone in the city was a problem for the government but it (un)successfully managed to “hide” them from the players, officials and a few tourists who came to the city during the October 2010 Games.

Now questions are being asked as to why these actions are taken when there is a huge event about to take place. Shouldn’t poverty reduction and cleaning up the streets be an ongoing process? The beggars too are citizens of their country and also ask for a place under the sun like their more fortunate citizens hailing from demarcations like the lower, middle or the upper class.

Why wasn’t a war

on poverty launched instead of removing the beggars. Why didn’t the government launch policies to help the poor in the run-up to the Games instead of trying its best to get rid of them. The amount which was gobbled by the corrupt officials in the Games could have easily funded the rehabilitation package for 1 lakh beggars which the city has.

After the fiasco of the Games and the scams associated with it, people are genuinely questioning the relevance of holding such events now. The stadiums and venues, built with tax payer’s money are lying unused. Soon, the new coat of paint and plasters will peel off and there would hardly be any long term legacy left for the citizens to cherish.

The Commonwealth Games was not a joy for the poor of the city. They now have a simple prayer. “For God’s sake, do not organize any such event in Delhi”.

(March 8, 2011)

How NCERT book survived the 1977 onslaught

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, November 25

The book on Ancient India, portions of which have been banned by the NCERT, was in the thick of controversy even in 1977 when the Janata Party, comprising several Jan Sangh members, was in power.

Demands by the Jan Sangh MPs for a ban on the book was rejected by the then Education Minister, who was from the Congress (O). The members put pressure on the government through several campaigns to ban the book written by Ram Sharan Sharma. However, the Education Minister, who was not from the Sangh Parivar, did not relent and the book remained untouched for 24 years.

But unlike in 1977, when the Sangh group was not powerful enough to influence a policy decision, the BJP now has a major say in the NDA Government and has been able to do what the Sangh members couldn't do twenty-four years back.

Interestingly, the same paragraphs of the book which have now been deleted had once invited the wrath of former Jan Sangh MP Ramgopal Shalwale, who headed the All India Arya Samaj at that time. Another critic of the same text was SP Gupta, an archaeologist and a contributor to the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser.

In a spirited defence of his book, Sharma pointed out that a book on ancient history is not a catalogue of antiquities kept in a museum but a connected story which answers the questions on where, when and how and why something happened. Sharma said he countered all allegations made against his book academically, but none of the critics replied to them.

"The Parivar's history police will realise the difficulties of writing history or making changes suitable to their ideology," said an academician. She termed the debate on the left wing versus the right wing historians as meaningless. "Indian history writing has so far not produced a right wing historian of any stature, whereas several liberal and left historians enjoy undisputead international standing," she said, adding, "history should only be subjected to objectivity and not subjectivity".

Another academician feared that the new textbooks that will replace the ones written by Sharma, Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra, Arjun Dev and Indira Arjun Dev may contain the hate propaganda taught in the Saraswati Shishu Mandirs of the RSS. "We would like to know the name of the historians writing the new books, their credentials, their research in the past and their standing in the historians' community," he said.

He said that an academic debate on the contents of the proposed books is a must, as the future generation could be conditioned to propaganda that would harm the composite culture of the country.

When contacted, a prominent historian quoted AL Basham, the author of The Wonder That Was India. "These atavistic ideologues hanker for the wonder that was India, a wonder ruined by foreign invasion - first Islamic, then western through colonisation and now globalisation". Some of these myths have long been exploded and living in the past would only bode dangers for the future, the historian said.

(2001)

http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/education.nsf/(docid)/9E775E52B90A0CE6652571850021EEB6

The Beggar and his dogs...

Amitabh Shukla

Life has plenty of surprises in store for us. Every moment of life has a surprise element and no one knows when a new surprise springs up and overwhelms you.

The other day, I was walking to my house after the morning walk in the nearby park. It was quite late for the walk and the clock read 9 am in the morning.

I saw a beggar on his tricycle surrounded by at least half a dozen street dogs. Initially I thought that the street dogs had found a stranger and were about to bark incessantly at what they thought was an intruder in their territory.

But this was not the case. The beggar was feeding the canines biscuits which he had received as alms in the morning. The street dogs were very friendly and this was reflected in their benign looks and wagging of tails. After giving them a biscuit each, the beggar opened his polythene bag and found a packet of bread. Now, he gave all the dogs a bread each to eat. He continued to look at them like a fatherly figure, an image of calm, composure and immense satisfaction.

Curiosity got better of me as I watched the scene, something which I had not witnessed earlier. Someone who was himself helpless, reduced to begging and surviving on alms, was on a giving spree.

I began a conversation with the old man. Pyare was his name and he was a resident of Anand Gram or what is known as the Leper’s colony in Tahirpur, east Delhi. The disease had practically left him without his feet and was reduced to begging to keep his body and soul together.

“I am always there in front of the Shani temple for two hours in the morning and another two hours in the evening. There are noble souls in the city who contribute a lot in alms, more in eatables than money. I cannot eat it all alone and share the surplus with the dogs. Life is so uncertain, why should I or anyone store anything for tomorrow,” Pyare told me.

Continuing, he said the dogs are shooed away by everybody and there was hardly anyone who stopped and thought about them.

“Tomorrow is another day. I will see what design has God got for me for tomorrow. I want to make my present happy and feeding the dogs gives me happiness,” the beggar, who now seemed like a philosopher, said.

Talking to the beggar was a revelation. “It could be my mistakes in my previous birth that I am in this state. I want to improve my karma,” Pyare said, slowly putting pressure on the handle of the tricycle and moving to his house.

The street dogs gave him a silent farewell for the time being. There was a promise in the eyes of the canines and also Pyare to meet again the next day for the same ritual.

(March 2011)

ashukla.mail@gmail.com

Sheila blames MCD, DDA for the plight of Delhites

Amitabh Shukla

Jan 24

Smarting from the findings of the HT-CNN-IBN State of the Nation Survey, which ranked her one point above the bottom at number 18, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday blamed the plight of the average Delhite on MCD and DDA.

"Both the organisations are now celebrating their golden jubilee. Their laws and bylaws have become outdate and not in tune with the ground realities of the city," Dikshit told Hindustan Times. She said a major overhaul and restructuring of both the DDA and MCD is the need of the hour.

"When a resident of the city has a work, he runs to all agencies like the MCD, DDA, Delhi Jal Board, power companies etc. This multiplicity has to end for the benefit of the common man," she said. The Chief Minister asked the Group of Ministers on Tuesday to find a way out of this mess of both the DDA and MCD.

Talking on the Master Plan, Dikshit said substantial relief has been given. "There is still time for the notification and we would like to help the people as much as is possible," she said. Referring to the green belt concept on the borders of the city, the CM said if the proposal were adopted, there would be demolitions. "We do not want even 10 houses to be demolished at this point of time," she said.

Dikshit said when the neighbouring states like UP and Haryana have urbanised land and multistoried complexes on the borders of the city, why is Delhi being discriminated against. "Our green cover has increased substantially. The green cover should be spread all over the city and not at the borders alone," she added.

The CM was expressed satisfaction that some of the recommendations like bringing out the zonal plans within a year, more FAR and height in buildings; flexible land use provisions etc. would go a long way in solving the problem. "We had asked for a review of the MPD in five years instead of 20 and this has been accepted," she said.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/201802.aspx

CAG indictment of govt rocks Delhi Assembly

Amitabh Shukla

April 24

The severe indictment of the Delhi government in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) rocked the Delhi Assembly on Monday. The opposition leveled charges of corruption and inefficiency against the government and demanded its dismissal.

As soon as the Question Hour began, Leader of Opposition Jagdish Mukhi brought an adjournment motion seeking to suspend all business of the House to discuss the report. He referred to the last report of the CAG on power privatisation in which the government body had found severe irregularities in the entire process. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Delhi Assembly too had favoured a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities. "Why wasn't a CBI inquiry ordered into the deal?" asked Mukhi.

Delhi BJP President Harsh Vardhan said such a shameful episode had never taken place in Delhi when the CAG found severe lapses and still the government failed to act on it.

As the Opposition members were shouting hoarse on the issue, Speaker Chaudhary Prem Singh refused to permit the adjournment motion.

The real drama then started. Shouting slogans against the government, the BJP MLAs jumped into the Well of the House, one at a time. First it was Jai Bhagwan. The Speaker summoned the Marshals who moved him out of the House.

Soon Karan Singh Tanwar jumped into the Well and reached the Speaker's chair and began arguing. He too was physically removed. "The government has to reply why no action was taken in the last one year," said Mukhi. He too was removed. BJP Chief Whip SS Chauhan flashed the copies of the CAG report and said "these are the black deeds of this government". After his removal, it was the turn of HS Balli, Ramesh Bidhuri and Vijay Jolly. "The government has no moral authority to continue in office after the indictment by CAG and inaction on last year's report," said Jolly.

Asked about the CAG report in a press conference after the session, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said an Action Taken Report would be submitted to the Assembly later. But why was the government shying from handing over the probe to the CBI? "We have given our reply to the PAC," said Dikshit without elaborating further.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/218150.aspx

Schools for sex workers' kids, homeless

Amitabh Shukla
May 23

In a bid to reach out to the rag pickers, homeless children and the children of the sex workers and enroll them in schools, the Delhi government has drawn up an ambitious plan.

Three schools would be set up for the homeless children and rag pickers – two in Chandni Chowk and one in Tehkhand. "The children would not only study here but also pick up training in vocational trade and get free food," said Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday reviewed the project in a meeting of senior officers.

For the children of sex workers, living in and around GB Road in central Delhi, the concept of "mobile schools" has been developed and two buses requisitioned. "These will function as a school with blackboards, computers, teachers and other facilities and would be parked during the day time in the red light district of the city," Lovely said.

The minister said initially the children would come out of curiosity to see the "mobile schools". They will then take tips from the teacher and would be motivated to enroll in the formal school system, he said.

The scheme for the homeless children and the rag pickers along with the mobile schools is part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan of the government. In the three schools, 900 rag pickers and homeless children would study. The government has tied up with the Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee for food and the children can even stay there for the duration of their study.

Lovely said the project would be run with the help of the NGOs and will be extended to other parts of the city in due course. "The mobile schools in particular would be of great help in generating interest of the students towards education in the slum clusters," he added.

Both the schemes would be launched after the summer vacations are over and would be monitored on a regular basis for feedback and further improvement.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/224559.aspx

Rs 12.50 ‘student pass’ set to cost more

Amitabh Shukla

May 29

For nearly 40 years, Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC’s) little pink all-routes pass has been a badge of honour for students of Delhi University. For an astonishing Rs 12.50 per month, generations have claimed the ticket to ride from Mehrauli to Majnu Ka Tila, Shalimar Bagh to Shahdara — and everywhere in between. And the unions have been touchy enough to begin breaking buses at the slightest whisper of raising the tariff to a more reasonable sum.

The First Year Class of 2007-08 — and all their seniors — could lose the privilege. Starting July, DTC’s monthly student pass could cost up to Rs 100. A note prepared by the Transport Department — setting a band of Rs 50-100 for the pass — was expected to be cleared by the cabinet on Monday, but the meeting was — for unrelated reasons — put back to later this week.

Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf said: “Passes for students and some other sections have been draining the resources of DTC. We want to bridge the gap”. DTC loses about Rs 100 crore annually on subsidised student passes and other concessions.

BJP leader and 1978 DU students union president Vijay Goel spoke fondly about the pass. “It used to be a passport for travel all over the city… the memories are still fresh,” he said.

The coming of the Redlines and Bluelines, and increasing affluence have, over the years, made DTC’s little pink pass less attractive to students. Hence, the passing of the era of nearly-free travel is unlikely to be mourned too far beyond student leaders with an eye on union elections.However, college will never be the same again.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/225960.aspx

Sheila to look into Tihar manual, deaths

Amitabh Shukla

June 20

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit would inspect the living conditions in Tihar Jail in the wake of the death of seven inmates last week. Dikshit has not yet finalised the date for the inspection.

Interestingly, Dikshit has the charge of the Home Department, which looks after the jails in the city. Ironically, this would be Dikshit’s first “inspection” of the Tihar Jail in the last three years. On all earlier occasions, she had visited there for official functions.

On Wednesday, the Chief Minister chaired a meeting of senior officers, including Chief Secretary R Narayanaswami, Principal Secretary (Home) Shamsher Sheriff and Director-General (Prisons) BK Gupta , among others, to look into the reasons for the recent deaths and chalk out a strategy for better facilities in the jail. “The inmates had died because of drug addiction and induced diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS. Investigations are on, and we will soon ascertain the reasons,” she told reporters after the meeting.

Dikshit admitted that the jail had been facing water supply and sanitation problems. “We are in the process of drawing up certain short- and long-term measures for general improvement,” she added.

The measures include appointment of a Chief Medical Officer for Tihar Jail, construction of a sewage treatment plant in the next six months and installation of water coolers. The government also plans to issue a direction to the police not to send people held under preventive detention to Tihar Jail on the eve of Republic Day or Independence Day.

The detainees would either be kept at a police station or report to the police in the morning and evening.

Overcrowding was a major problem in Tihar Jail, the Chief Minister said, adding, the government is in the process of constructing a new jail in East Delhi. “We are working on this,” she said.

Dikshit stressed on a mechanism whereby undertrials who have spent a long time in jail would be released. “Some of the inmates have spent a long time and an institutional mechanism has to be found to release them,” she added.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/231563.aspx

Cinema earnings get govt attention

Amitabh Shukla

July 27

The Delhi government is set to bring a new entertainment-tax policy. The main component of the policy will be to check evasion of taxes by cinema halls and to formulate a plan to declare a particular film "tax free".

"Under-declaration of tickets is a fact. We want to computerise the sale of tickets so that the Entertainment Tax Department knows how many tickets have been sold in a particular cinema hall," said a senior official of the department.

At present, a cinema hall management sends the figures of sale of tickets only after a week of the show. By that time, the officials cannot verify whether the figures are correct or not. "We are devising a system wherein the sale of tickets will be known an hour after the show has begun. This will ensure that our officials visit the hall randomly and verify the figures," said the official.

Another element of the policy will be to regulate the practice of giving the "tax free" status to films. The department has decided to constitute a panel of prominent film critics who would see the film and submit recommendations to the government on whether the film should be exempted from tax.

At present, the producer or the distributor of the film organises a show of the film for officials to decide on tax waiver.

"This brings in the element of subjectivity," said the official. This also prevents small-budget films from getting tax waiver. All films made for children and most films made by film societies will be tax free under the scheme.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/239003.aspx

1984 riots compensation soon

Amitabh Shukla

Oct 23

Twenty-three years after the anti-Sikh riots broke out in the city in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, the Delhi government has finally worked out a complete compensation package for the victims and their families.

This came after repeated reminders from the Union Home Ministry to work out a new package keeping in view all aspects of the riots. In March this year, the Home Ministry had severely indicted the state government for poor rehabilitation of the victims and their families.

Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan on Monday said a budget of Rs 57 crore has been earmarked for the victims and their families and it covers all aspects. “Those who went missing in the riots and are still untraceable would be treated as dead and their family would be entitled for pension,” said Chauhan.

A Cabinet note on the issue has already been prepared and is likely to be passed around October 31, the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, whose assassination triggered one of the worst communal pogrom post partition.

According to the Cabinet note, the wives of those who suffered 70 per cent disability or more or are missing since 1984 would get a compensation of Rs 2,500 per month. This amount would be given from the date it is notified and not since 1984 when the incidents took place.

Other widows, who are getting a pension of Rs 1,000 per month would now get Rs 2,500 per month.

In addition, there would be a rehabilitation grant of Rs two lakh each to the families who migrated to Punjab and other states and did not return to Delhi.

These categories were not dealt with earlier.

Compensation would also be paid in proportional terms to 923 commercial property owners whose property was damaged and 454 owners of residential property.

However, the Delhi government is yet to address other issues raised by B.A. Coutinho, Joint Secretary (UT) in the MHA to the Delhi government in March this year. This pertained to employment of the children of riot victims.

Committees headed by D.K. Sankaran and K.P. Singh had recommended that preference be given to the children of the riot victims in the recruitment of the police forces and the Public Sector Undertakings. In addition, the state government was supposed to launch special recruitment drive for the dependants of the victims. This is yet to be done.

(2007)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/253728.aspx

Reality bites, so L-G rolls back photo ID plan

Amitabh Shukla

Jan 8

Delhi Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna on Monday withdrew the controversial move to make photo identity cards compulsory for all in the Capital. This came three days after he made the announcement, triggering a storm.

Khanna also withdrew the proposal to validate driving licences of other states by Delhi authorities. “I had not given any timeframe and there are legal issues too,” Khanna said on the decision to take the move back.

The rollback of the ID card decision followed widespread criticism of the L-G’s unilateral move. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had also shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, terming the move a “direct interference in personal liberties”. The PM on Monday said he would look into Kumar’s complaint, a few hours before the L-G announced the rollback at a hurriedly-convened press conference.

Khanna clarified that he never said non-possession of identity proof would make a person “guilty and suspicious”. “No mandatory orders have been issued on compulsory possession of the ID cards and their checking by the police,” he said.

He said he had instructed the police commissioner to increase surveillance in the city to screen people arousing suspicion. “During such screening, possession of any photo identification document would be of convenience to those whose conduct may have aroused suspicion,” he added.

The L-G said there were fears that beat constables would start extortion in the garb of such a move. “Special police teams would be constituted to place random barricades in the city and check the suspects,” Khanna said. He said suspicious people would be taken to the police station for interrogation as was done earlier.

On the validation of driving licences of other states, the LG said driving skills required in Delhi were different from that of other states. “We will now call the drivers at random to check their skills at the simulators. This would be applicable to people with driving licences from Delhi as well as other states,” he said.

“There cannot be any nadir shahi (autocracy) in Delhi and validation is not mandatory,” he said.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/267871.aspx

Soon, you may be taxed heavily for keeping pets

Amitabh Shukla

Jan 23

If you have a dog or a cat or a donkey or a buffalo, you may soon have to pay a tax.

The Delhi government has approved amendments to two municipal acts which would make a dog or a cat-owner liable to pay Rs 500 annually (for each cat or dog he/she keeps at home). The decision was taken earlier this week, though it was not made public as the government feared an outcry. Official sources said both the Bills would be passed in the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly in March and implemented soon after.

The tax on pets is quite a novel step. Presently, even registration of dogs or cats is not compulsory, though the municipality expects the owners to keep a record of all vaccinations.

The bills also provide for a Rs 2,500-tax for each buffalo kept for milking and Rs 2,000 for each cow. Each animal used for pulling carts would now cost the owner a steep Rs 1,000 per annum. “These animals were never taxed earlier,” said a Delhi government official.

There is more. Every four-wheeled vehicle drawn by a draught animal would be charged Rs 2,000 annually while a two-wheeled one would be charged Rs 1,000 per annum.

The Bill does not give any reasons for this taxation. “These have not been revised since 1957 when the DMC Act was enacted. As a result, there is considerable erosion in the value of money and ever burgeoning cost of services rendered over time,” said the Bill.

Officials said that the tonga, a popular means of transport in the Walled City, would be seriously hit if its owner has to cough up Rs 1,000 as tax. Moreover, many dhobis still use donkeys and a tax of Rs 500 on each may act as a big spoiler.

Pet-owners are astounded by this plan. “I keep a dog, feed him, nurture him, spend money on him. How does the government come into the scene, asking for money?” says Ashish Tiwari, a resident of Patparganj, who owns two dogs.

“The government should then also offer some incentives. For instance, if a dog is vaccinated, let the owner get a tax rebate,” said Geeta Seshamani, head of Frendicoes SECA, an NGO.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/271411.aspx

Next polls, periphery to be in centre of politics

Amitabh Shukla

Feb 15

In the next Assembly elections in Delhi, slated to be held in December this year, the unauthorised and resettlement colonies will set the agenda of the Delhi government and its politics.

The report of the delimitation commission, which would be the basis of the new political map of the city, suggests that of the 70 Assembly segments, 39 would either be in unauthorised colonies or urban villages.

In the new exercise, a population of 1,97,800 has been kept as the basis for demarcation of the new constituencies. Around 65 per cent of them are voters ensuring that each assembly segment has no more than around 1.25 lakh voters.

The redrawn boundaries of the 70 assembly segments in Delhi will force some of the ministers and MLAs to groom fresh areas for getting elected. Almost all the ministers, including Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, will have newly added areas to their constituency and deletion of some of the older areas. Nine new constituencies have been created while nine have been deleted from the political map as well.

Dikshit’s constituency of Gole Market will now be called New Delhi. Gole Market, hitherto, had both the MCD and the NDMC areas. The new constituency will now be entirely in the NDMC area and her voters would primarily be government employees.

Finance and Power Minister AK Walia’s Geeta Colony constituency has been removed from the electoral map. He will have to fight the next election from the newly created Laxmi Nagar or Krishna Nagar where his present voters have been listed. Part of Walia’s constituency has been added to BJP state unit president Harsh Vardhan’s Krishna Nagar constituency. The new look Krishna Nagar would still suit Vardhan due to the profile of the area.

Education Minister Arvinder Singh’s Gandhi Nagar has some new Muslim dominated pockets. PWD and UD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan and Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf have retained most of their constituencies. Health Minister Yoganand Shastri will have new areas in his constituency, as his Malviya Nagar segment would include Hauz Khas.

The leaders whose political fortunes would be severely affected include chief whip of the Congress, Ramakant Goswami, and three-time MLA Bheesham Sharma. Goswami’s Patel Nagar constituency has become a reserved one while Sharma’s constituency Ghonda has been removed.

NCP state unit president Ramvir Singh Bidhuri’s Tughlaqabad constituency would be trifurcated. However, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi’s stronghold of Janakpuri has new rural areas added to it.

Chattar Singh, member of the Delimitation Commission, said the demarcation reflects the new political realities of the city. “Population has shifted to the periphery of the city in Outer and East Delhi and they have the maximum number of seats as per the population,” he said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/275887.aspx

Centre rejects Sheila plea on diesel car ban

Amitabh Shukla

Feb 16

The central government has refused to approve the Delhi government’s proposal to ban diesel cars in the Capital. The state government had sent an official request to the Centre, seeking action against diesel vehicles following reports of increasing pollution levels.

In a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways TR Baalu said the central government did not have the mandate to prohibit registration of motor vehicles plying on a particular type of fuel, such as diesel. The Minister cited the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to justify his decision.

In her letter to Baalu, Dikshit had sought the Centre’s nod to ban the registration of diesel cars. Dikshit stated that the benefits of converting public transport to CNG were being negated with a phenomenal increase in personal diesel cars. She had also asked for a separate set of emission norms for motor vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Baalu’s letter, a copy of which is with HT, said that as per the roadmap suggested by the Dr RA Mashlekar Committee on auto fuel policy, BS-IV emission norms were proposed to be introduced in NCR with effect from April 1, 2010. “Introduction of tighter emission norms is dependent on the availability of corresponding fuel quality, better engine technology and testing infrastructure available with the testing agencies,” Baalu said in his letter.

He said the matter was taken up with the Ministry of Petroleum and natural Gas to advance the date of introduction of BS-IV norms in NCR and 11 mega-cities in the country. “They have expressed their inability to so,” the letter informed Dikshit.

Putting the ball in the Delhi Government’s court, Baalu reminded that the state governments were empowered to lay down strict Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms if they had sufficient infrastructure.

A senior Delhi government official said that they had examined the letter and would explore how the PUC norms could be further tightened and enforced in the city.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/276128.aspx

Delhi seeks UNESCO’s heritage city status

Amitabh Shukla

Feb 18

Stating that it has been the country's capital for the last almost 1,000 years with a few decades of interregnum, Delhi now wants status of World Heritage city from UNESCO. And a tentative blueprint on how the capital will get the World Heritage City status has already been prepared.

As a first step, the Delhi government would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which will facilitate the endeavor for the coveted UNESCO status.

A Cabinet note on the issue has been prepared and it was put up before the Delhi Cabinet on Monday. An official said it has been “deferred” for the time being and is likely to be taken up during the next meeting.

According to the proposal, INTACH would provide expertise and consultancy for meeting objectives of grooming Delhi as a Heritage City and will formulate heritage related architectural and design schemes. It has also been decided that the trust would bring heritage awareness among the citizens through media, heritage walks and various training programmes for guides and students.

Delhi government would fund the project by providing INTACH Rs 20 lakh for preparing a conceptual report for the purpose. After this report, the government would commission Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for specific heritage projects and separate fees would be paid for it.

The draft of the MoU, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, says the government on its part would set up a Joint Heritage Task Force with INTACH and other experts. Principal Secretary (Tourism) will be the chairman of this task force, while the CMD of Delhi Tourism will be the nodal officer and member secretary. Heads of civic bodies and senior officials will be the members of the task force, which will be constituted solely for conservation, preservation and promotion of heritage. This task force will have meetings at regular intervals to draw heritage related strategy and execute them.

The MoU also lists INTACH’s responsibilities. It will provide expertise and consultancy for grooming Delhi as a Heritage City for five years. “It will also formulate a comprehensive plan for lighting and beautifying appurtenant areas of the monuments and heritage precincts in time for the Commonwealth Games,” said the draft MoU.

The state government will monitor activities to be undertaken by INTACH and provide the required administrative and material support. The government will also provide the residual and financial support in the entire exercise.

According to the draft of the MoU, disputes, if any, would be resolved by an arbitrator to be nominated by the Lt Governor. In case, there is any violation of the MoU, it can be cancelled.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/276822.aspx

Cong in huddle after Maya rally

Amitabh Shukla

Feb 26

A large rally by UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the Capital has rung alarm bells in Delhi’s ruling Congress and prompted the state Cabinet on Monday to discuss a fresh political strategy ahead of the Assembly elections.

Congress officials admitted that the rally on Sunday was a success and that they quickly needed to battle the rising influence of the BSP in the poll-bound Capital. The Cabinet met at Chief Minister Dikshit’s residence to analyse the rally’s impact, among other things.

Political sources said that ministers worked out that 75 per cent of those at the rally were from Delhi, while the rest were from neighbouring UP. “If so many were indeed from Delhi, it suggests a widening BSP base in the Capital,” a minister said on condition of anonymity.

“We discussed it informally though we felt that it won't affect our base here,” said Social Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri. Finance Minister AK Walia seemed unperturbed. “The government’s achievements are there for all to see,” he said.

The BSP managed to get close to 10 per cent votes in civic elections last year, the best-ever show by the BSP in the Capital. Political leaders then suggested that most of these were from the Dalit-Muslim base of the Congress, which ultimately led to the BJP’s ascendancy in the MCD.

Party office-bearers said the growing importance of BSP in the city reminded them of the 1993 Delhi Assembly Elections when the Janata Dal won four seats and affected the fortunes of the Congress in another 26 seats, leading to the BJP’s victory.

“So far, our strength is limited to outsmarting the BJP. It is now clear that our fight has to be on two fronts — BJP and BSP,” said a senior leader.

Interestingly, there is a contradiction in the perception of the elected Congress representatives — MPs and MLAs and the grassroots Congress workers vis a vis the BSP. Elected representatives brush aside the BSP threat, but grassroots workers have conveyed to the party leadership that the threat was “real and alarming”.

“In the new delimitation exercise, 39 of 70 constituencies are in slums, JJ clusters, unauthorised colonies, resettlement colonies, urban villages etc. The BSP had grown here and it’s gain would be a loss for the Congress as we too derive our strength from this segment,” said a Delhi Congress general secretary, who did not want to be named.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/278275.aspx

Delhi, UP ink transport pact

Amitabh Shukla

June 3

The UP and Delhi governments on Monday signed a transport agreement for smooth and better public transport between the Capital and the neighbouring state. The pact, signed after 23 years, will benefit lakhs of residents of Uttar Pradesh who commute to Delhi everyday.

“We were running bus services to Lahore in Pakistan but not to Ghaziabad. This was embarrassing for both the governments. All disputes have now been laid to rest,” said Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf after the two Transport Secretaries signed a draft agreement. Yusuf’s counterpart in UP, Ram Achal Rajbhar said it was extremely important for both the states.

Commuters of UP and Delhi had a torrid time for six months from November 2006 to May 2007 when both the state governments seized each other buses and practically declared a “transport war”. Lakhs of commuters faced hardships and the Delhi-UP border resembled borders of two warring countries. When Mayawati became the Chief Minister of UP in May last year, the crisis was over but still there was no agreement on the movement of the buses and other vehicles.

From now on, stage carriage services bus would operate between NCR townships in UP and Delhi. The places connected would be Delhi Airport via Nehru Place and Vasant Vihar, airport via Badarpur and Mehrauli, Central Secretariat via Ashram and CGO complex, New Delhi Railway Station via Pragati Maidan and Shivaji Stadium, ISBT (Kashmere Gate) via Shahdara and Shakarpur, ISBT (Kashmere Gate) via Anand Vihar and Bhajanpura, NOIDA to Safdarjung Terminus via Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram and AIIMS.

The existing DTC and private buses in Noida and Greater Noida would continue to be an extension of the city operation by Delhi's buses.

The minister said that the next step was to provide taxi and auto rickshaw services between NCR and Delhi.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/314888.aspx

No drinks before 25, and none in public

Amitabh Shukla

May 13

In an election year, the Delhi cabinet has developed cold feet on lowering the drinking age to 21 from 25. The cabinet on Monday also proposed stiff penalties for consumption of liquor in public places.

If you are caught drinking outside your home or a licensed pub — say, in your car, at a dhaba, or by the street, as many Delhiites do — you will be fined Rs 5,000. If you get drunk and create a "public nuisance", you could be jailed for three months. If you repeat the offence, you could get double the punishment.

As first reported by HT on Saturday, the Delhi cabinet on Monday decided to bring a law of its own to regulate liquor trade. The Delhi Excise Bill, 2008, will replace the archaic Punjab Excise Act, 1914, which has been governing drinking in the capital since 1939. The Bill will be placed before the assembly soon.

The cabinet considered lowering the permissible age for drinking from 25 to a more reasonable 21, but ultimately decided against it. "The issue is politically sensitive and we decided to postpone the decision in view of the impending assembly election," said a minister, who did not want to be named.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters the age of drinking and purchasing liquor would not be brought down. Finance and Excise Minister AK Walia said the cabinet cleared all proposals except the one on drinking age.

The Bill proposes stiff penalties for bootleggers and illegal bottlers. The jail term could go up to 3 years, and the fine to Rs 1 lakh. Death by spurious liquor could invite a death sentence or life imprisonment.

If you bring in more than the permitted quota of liquor from an overseas trip or purchase it from smugglers, you could be jailed for six months, or fined Rs 1 lakh.

(2008)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/310441.aspx

Regional, minority groups haggle for Cong tickets

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, October 13

As the selection procedure of candidates enters a crucial stage, various groups — regional, professional, those having caste affiliations and minorities — have started demanding their share of Congress tickets according to their population percentage in Delhi.

Most of these groups within the Congress have already petitioned the key figures for tickets including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, AICC general-secretary Ahmed Patel, DPCC president Prem Singh, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and other senior leaders.

The minority department of the DPCC has demanded at least 25 tickets for candidates from the minority community. Abdul Sami Salmani, president of the cell and general-secretary Solomon George demanded "proper justice" from the party.

They have asked for a 25 per cent quota saying that minorities make up at least one fourth of the city's population. Of these 25, a demand has been made to set aside two for Christians.

Not to be left behind, the South Indian Members Forum, a group within the Congress, has claimed that there are around 25 lakh South Indians and the tickets should be in proportion to their population. P.P. Raveendran, the group's chairman threatened to field 40 South Indians from various constituencies in Delhi if they did not get proper representation.

People from Poorvanchal (Bihar and eastern UP) and Uttaranchal have also started to flex their muscles to lobby for tickets for their candidates. Their leaders say that around 40 per cent people of Delhi come from these states and they should be "politically rehabilitated" through party tickets.

The professional groups -- retired DTC employees, safai karmcharis (mostly Dalits) and caste groups of Brahmins, Vaish and Sainis have also approached Congress office-bearers for their share of tickets. The Saini Sabha delegation has already met the Congress president and demanded five tickets for their caste members.

Interestingly, if the claims of all these sections are true, the total population of Delhi would be well over three crore. (2003)

http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/dalit.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/87ac57a932b092eae5256dc000508177

Information Act: So far, so good

Implementation of the Right to Information Act of the Centre in Delhi from October 12 last year has been a success story. For the first time, the entire complaints, their status and all details pertaining to the Act have been put online by the Delhi government. Complainants can now pursue their applications online and find out whether it has been disposed or not. Entire questions put to the various departments can be accessed and it has been made "live" on the website. Secretary Administrative Reforms, Prakash Kumar tells Amitabh Shukla that a silent revolution has taken place.

What has been the response of the new Right to Information Act in the city?

In the last four months of the implementation of the Act, the response has been tremendous as we have got 1200 applications of people seeking different sorts of information concerning various departments. This shows that the citizens are coming forward to ask questions from the government departments. As we have put everything on the website, people seeking information never had it easier. All the questions posed so far and the answers have been put on the "live" web page. The status of application changes every minute after information is uploaded. People can search for the departments and the frequently asked questions and frame their questions accordingly. At present, two Acts pertaining to Right to Information are applicable in Delhi - both the Central Act and the state government Act.

Isn't there any confusion on this part?

Both the acts are applicable to the city as the Act of Delhi is yet to be repealed. However, there is no confusion. People can ask questions under whichever of the two acts. While the fee under the Delhi Act is Rs 25 for a question, the fee under the central Act is only Rs 10. The public information officers have been asked to provide information as per the demand of the citizens. Some questions still are being asked under the old Act. What is the status of the private power distribution companies in the city.

Do they come under the purview of the RTI Act?

We had asked the opinion of the Law Department on the subject. As the government has only 49 percent of the share in the discoms, it does not fall under the category of substantially financed as provided in the Act. Then, there is a provision of substantially controlled. But, it does not come under this category too. At present, the citizens can ask questions through the Power department but this might not cover day to day supply of power. Recently, the Central Information Commission ruled that file notings should also be made available to the people if asked for.

Yes, we are providing the information on file notings now. Earlier, there was some ambiguity but after the ruling of the central information commission, it has been made clear to the public information officers. You have now authored a book on Right to Information.

What is the target audience of the book?

I wrote the book along with another official Dr K.B. Rai. It targets public information officers who are supposed to provide information.

(Feb 12, 2006)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/64954.aspx

Cushy posts for retired babus

Amitabh Shukla

Sept 11

The Delhi government has become a paradise of retired government officials -primarily from the IAS. The pensioners manage to get the trappings of power with intensive lobbying and the habit of the government in distributing largesse.

The list of the retired officials, serving in one capacity or the other with the government, is indeed long. Baleshwar Rai, who once held posts like the chairman of the NDMC and chief of the Jal Board is now the chairman of the Public Grievance Commission (PGC).

The PGC, the appellate body under the Right to Information Act, has the distinction of giving employment to several retired bureaucrats. Two former chief secretaries — PS Bhatnagar and Shailja Chandra — were the chairpersons of this body. A retired IPS officer, SK Kain, is also a member of the PGC to look into the complaints related to the Delhi Police.

Shailja Chandra recently demitted office from the PGC after completing a two-year term. She, however, hopes to get some other appointment from the government soon. Retired chief secretary S Regunathan is yet to be accommodated but he too is hopeful that something would turn out before he vacates his official residence in Rouse Avenue.

GK Marwah, who retired as divisional commissioner earlier this year, is a member of the VAT tribunal. Another retired IAS official, SP Marwah, is with the State Election Commission and looking into delimitation exercise of the MCD.

Ramesh Chandra is an adviser with the VAT council while Satish Chandra is the member secretary of the council. Both of them retired from the IAS not so long ago.

MK Bezbaruah, the tough IAS officer who made life hell for several influential people as the director of Enforcement, is the chairman of the Delhi Finance Commission for the last two years. Recently, he was given the fourth extension as his report could not come out despite many deadlines.

Former chief secretary Omesh Saigal is the head of the committee to study the municipal system and suggest changes while another retired official, Ashok Pradhan, heads another committee on multiplicity of authorities. There are also some retired officials who are consultants to the government on specific projects. (2006)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/148548.aspx

NGOs to give report on Delhi's child labourers

Amitabh Shukla

Oct 10, 2006

Unable to determine the number of child labourers in Delhi and the areas they work in, the Delhi Government on Tuesday decided to rope in the NGO’s for a fact finding report on the child labourers of the city.

"We have decided to take the help of the NGO’s to find out how many such labourers are in the city and where they work," said Labour and Industry Minister MR Singhal. The minister said that the department would take action against anyone who is found to be employing a child below the age of 14.

Asked about the preparedness of the Labour Department to tackle the scourge of child labourers, the minister said that the labour officers of all the districts would receive complaint and take action.

Tuesday was the first day when child labour was banned officially and they can neither work as domestic helps or in the hotels and dhabas. The government, however, did not take action against anyone in the first day of the new law.

The labour officials estimate that there could be around 60 thousand such labourers in the city. "The last census in 2001 reported 47,000 child labourers. In the last five years, the figure could have touched 60,000," the minister admitted.

The NGO’s involved in eradication of child labour, however, pointed out that a further notification is required to ban child labour in the specified trade. Social Jurist, a NGO, said that the July 10 notification of the Ministry of Labour and Employment banning child labour as domestic helps, their employment in dhabas, restaurant, eateries, tea shops, recreational centres etc, was only a notice of three months on the intention of the government to ban it. "It has to be followed by a further notification," said Ashok Aggarwal of the Social Jurist.

Aggarwal said that earlier when trades like electroplating, graphite powdering, grinding or glazing of metals, diamond cutting and polishing, rag picking and scavenging were added to Part B of the Schedule to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, a second notification was made.

"The first notification of their intention was issued on July 28, 2000 whereas the further notification banning child labour in the aforesaid processes was issued on May 10, 2001," Aggarwal pointed out.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/159971.aspx

Child workers face rehab blues

Amitabh Shukla

Oct 14, 2006

It is the question that has been haunting the Delhi government since the notification banning child labour in the domestic/employment sector was issued three months ago — how is it going to rehabilitate the children, an estimated one lakh of them, rescued from the city’s dhabas, restaurants and homes? Three days after the ban on child labour came into effect, the government still has no satisfactory answer.

The stark reality is that even if the officials rescue child labourers, there is not enough infrastructure and mechanism to rehabilitate them. At present, there are only 20 Transition Educational Centres (TEC) for rescued child labourers. At best, they can accommodate 1,000 children at a time, whereas, according to some NGOs, the number of child labourers in the city is close to one lakh.

Asked about the plans to tackle the situation, Labour Minister M.R. Singhal pointed out that the government had proposed another 40 TECs. “The children can be accommodated in these centres,” he said. Reminded that this was hardly sufficient, the minister was left groping for a reply. “An action plan has been drawn up and it has assigned tasks to various departments so that all of them work in synergy for the eradication of child labour from the city,” was all the minister had to say.

The government, with help from some NGOs, imparts vocational training to children and gets them enrolled in schools in the TECs, said Joint Labour Commissioner Piyush Sharma. However, the numbers are too huge to deal with, officials admitted. Realising the enormous task ahead, the government has decided it will not conduct raids till Diwali for rescuing child labourers. “We do not want to traumatise children during the festive season,” Sharma said. But this will only postpone action, not avert it.

The government claims that almost all child labourers in Delhi are either from West Bengal or from Bihar and Jharkhand. Therefore, a meeting of officials from the concerned states was held, in which it was decided that the respective state governments would rehabilitate the children after they were sent home from Delhi.

What about the employers who claim that the children working in their dhabas, restaurants, tea shops or repair shops are their own? Officials would inquire whether the child is enrolled in a school and attends it regularly, said the minister. “If the child studies in a school and works part time, we will not take any action,” he said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/161207.aspx

Chaos at Delhi Congress Legislature Party meeting

Amitabh Shukla

Oct 30, 2006

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting before the Winter Session of the Delhi Assembly turned out to be one of the nastiest in recent years with MLAs getting physical, abusing each other and flashing mikes on the sealing issue.

The sharp differences in the CLP came out in the open in the hour long meeting. The rivals of chief minister Sheila Dikshit attacked her for alleged "inaction" on the sealing drive.

Congress MLA Bheesham Sharma accused Dikshit of eroding the vote base of the party by disassociating the Delhi government from the sealing and demolition drive.

The MLA accused Dikshit for being responsible for what he called as a "mess" in Delhi.

As the MLAs, owing allegiance to Dikshit heard this, they hurled verbal abuses against Sharma. Three MLAs - Rajesh Lilothia, Ashok Ahuja and Ramakant Goswami traded charges against each other. One of them even threatened another with "dire consequences".

All this drama happened in front of the CM, her Cabinet colleagues and DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma.

The DPCC president sided with Bheesham Sharma in the internal party scuffle. The other MLAs who found common cause with the outbursts included, Vijay Locchav, Master Bijendra, Anil Bhardwaj, Mukesh Sharma, Malaram Gangwal, Shadi Ram, Surender Singh Bittoo and Mahabal Mishra.

As the battlelines were drawn for a prolonged verbal duel, Subhash Chopra and Jile Singh Chauhan tried to mediate between the warring groups.

Chopra attacked the ministers of Delhi government for not taking any stand on the sealing drive.

Bheesham Sharma later said, "The popularity of the Congress is dipping. We want an amendment in the resolution to be moved by the CM so that Delhi government also remains accountable," he said.

Dikshit refused to comment on what happened inside the CLP meeting. "We are moving a resolution on sealing," was all she offered when probed by the reporters.

The CLP formally passed a resolution condemning the BJP for politicising the sensitive issue of sealing and demolition.

It assured the affected traders that all possible steps would be taken to safeguard their interests and asked for uniform relief to all affected people belonging to different categories of colonies.

The CLP also decided that all the 47 Congress MLAs of Delhi, including Dikshit and her Cabinet colleagues would meet the Monitoring Committee on Tuesday and petition it afresh for relief.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/166867.aspx

Delhi Cabinet summons Anil Ambani, Adi Engineer

Amitabh Shukla

Nov 13, 2006

The Delhi Cabinet on Monday summoned BSES top boss Anil Ambani and Adi Engineer of the NDPL to explain why the power situation was so bad in the capital. They would also explain why the complaints pertaining to billing have not come down, more than four years after power privatisation in the capital.

Emerging from a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: "We have asked the key persons of both BSES and NDPL to explain the entire power scenario in the city." Dikshit complained that the availability of power was good but the delivery system was not satisfactory.

The decision to summon Ambani and Engineer was taken after a stormy Cabinet meeting. Almost all the ministers complained to Dikshit that the power situation was bad and there were numerous complaints of over billing. "In some cases, they send a year's bill at a time and when the consumer is not able to pay the huge amount, power supply is disconnected," said a minister on condition of anonymity.

The ministers wanted "tough action" against the discoms for their alleged failure. One of them said: "The discoms should be asked to shape up or shape out". Another minister said that most of the complaints he receives pertain to power.

The power situation in the city was not in the scheduled agenda of the Cabinet meeting. However, when the ministers insisted, Dikshit had to give in and summon the top bosses of the discoms.

Asked about the date when the Cabinet would seek an explanation from both BSES and NDPL, Dikshit said the chief secretary and Principal Secretary (Power) would write to them and fix the date. Queried about the suicide of a person in Karol Nagar due to disconnection of power supply and whether the decision was related to it, the CM said, "several factors forced the government to seek an explanation".

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/172477.aspx

Lakhs suffer from inter-state transport crisis

Amitabh Shukla

Nov 20, 2006

As lakhs of passengers between the NCR cities and Delhi continued to slug it out due to the transport crisis between Delhi and UP, both the governments continued with their battle of wits.

None of them made any initiative on Monday to end the deadlock which has resulted in harassment for thousands of commuters. "The scene at the Delhi border resembles the film Garam Hawa," said Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf. The film shows people moving to India or Pakistan in the wake of partition with their luggage perched on their heads.

As the inter-state or long route buses of UP Transport too are terminating at the border rather than at the ISBTs, the passengers are carrying their luggage on their head while entering the Delhi border. After walking a fair distance with the luggage, the passengers then board a city route bus for their destination.

“I feel sorry to see the plight of the people. But, UP has made it an ego issue and is not budging an inch for a bus agreement between the two states,” said Yusuf. The Transport Minister said UP has so far impounded 122 DTC buses and the government was filing application in the courts to get them released. The 11 buses of UP Transport Corporation, seized by Delhi, have already been released.

Yusuf said: “How can Delhi permit plying of UP buses on the city routes?” The minister said in such an eventuality, there would be no control on these buses and there will be complete chaos on the roads. “If we allow UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab would start plying their buses on city routes,” he added.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Vijay Goel flashed an agreement signed between Delhi and UP in August 2004 and said it undermined the interests of Delhi. “The agreement said DTC buses would run 90,000 kms in UP while UP buses would run 30,000 kms in Delhi,” he said. Goel said, UP was running buses in the city routes as per this agreement. “The two state governments are fighting like the Indian and Pakistan governments who expel each other’s diplomats,” said Goel.

As the governments fight, the passengers have been left in the lurch. “It took three hours for me to reach Nehru Place from Vasundhara in Ghaziabad, a journey which normally takes a little over an hour,” said Mukesh Kumar, a daily commuter. “I regret relocating to UP,” he added.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/175343.aspx