6 days ago
Residents' council's term ends, GMDA yet to set up new panel 6 months on
Gurgaon: GMDA is yet to constitute its new resident advisory council (RAC), more than six months after the last council's tenure ended in Dec – leaving a crucial public consultation platform defunct.
The delay has drawn criticism from former council members and RWAs, who say the authority is sidelining public involvement.
Established under GMDA Act, 2017, RAC acts as a bridge between residents and GMDA, offering policy suggestions and feedback on infrastructure, traffic, water supply, and other pressing urban issues.
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The last meeting of the previous RAC was held in July 2024. Last year, the council met only once, as opposed to 2023, when it met three times.
In Feb this year, GMDA issued a public notice seeking applications for the new RAC's formation.
"The idea behind RAC was to institutionalise dialogue between the authorities and people. But if a body does not exist for over half a year, what message does it send about participatory governance? It's been nearly a year since the RAC last met. The lack of continuity defeats the purpose of the council and weakens transparency and accountability," said Praveen Yadav, former RAC member of GMDA.
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Meanwhile, according to GMDA, the formation of the new council was underway. "The new council will be notified soon," said a senior GMDA official.
The council is chaired by GMDA CEO, with members drawn from RWAs and NGOs. The first RAC was formed in 2019, and the second in 2022. Residents argue that in the absence of an RAC, major projects — including road upgrades and drainage works — are being executed without feedback, resulting in planning oversights and execution delays.
"Initially, there was some openness, and officials were responsive. But last year, they started diminishing the role of RAC and no action taken reports were shared with members. GMDA Act mandates the council's formation," said DD Sharma, a former RAC member. "It played a crucial role in bringing civic issues to the fore. Ideally, they should have started the process of appointing the new committee before the second RAC's term got over," he added.
Sunil Sareen, vice-president of Imperial Gardens in Sector 102, said, "These days, GMDA not communicating with residents. Earlier, everything was in the public domain and in live streaming of GMDA's meetings, residents could share their feedback. We are the eyes and ears of the authorities, but they have shut the door on us," he said.
