Villages sceptical of govt's urbanisation ‘master plan'
NEW DELHI: Following Minister Parvesh Verma's announcement that 48 villages in the national capital will soon be urbanised under the Delhi Master Plan 2041, residents of 'already-urbanised' villages have voiced scepticism, citing unfulfilled promises and worsening conditions.
On Saturday, Verma, during a visit to Daulatpur village in southwest Delhi, said the urbanisation plan marks a 'historic shift' in the capital's development. 'Under this plan, around 48 villages in Delhi will be urbanised. It will bring infrastructural growth and access to essential urban amenities like paved roads, drainage systems, water supply, street lighting, schools, and healthcare,' he said.
However, villagers who have already undergone 'urbanisation' challenge these claims. Haripal Dabas, a resident of Kanjhawala in northwest Delhi, declared 'Urban' in 2017, said the process has delivered little on the ground. 'This is urbanisation, apparently,' he exclaims, clearly disillusioned. 'Connectivity, health or education have not improved. In fact, they've deteriorated. We had a hospital in the village earlier; now it's just a dispensary. Vaccination drives are rare, and we need to travel long distances for proper healthcare.'
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