Civic agencies in firing line over maintenance of city's water bodies

The Delhi government is set to take a tough stand against the municipal corporation and other agencies over poor maintenance of city’s lakes and water bodies that attract tourists and boating lovers.

Naini Lake in north Delhi’s Model Town area and Bhalswa Lake in northwest Delhi top the list of water bodies whose poor maintenance by the local bodies could be raised by the government soon.

“We have prepared a list of shortcomings at most of these water bodies and would seek improvement,” said a government official, pointing to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s failure to improve the facilities at Naini Lake in the past.

“If the local bodies fail to do so, we will ask them to hand over the maintenance of these spots to Delhi Tourism,” he said.

A top functionary in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s team said: “We want to go about the whole process in a systematic way.”

“It is not an effort to take over any civic agency’s domain. The end user – the visitor to the water body – should gain,” he said.

At most of these spots, the pavements near the lakes are broken, the waiting areas lack facilities, the canteen arrangement and toilets need improvement, he said.
‘CM’s vision’

“The world class city that the Chief Minister has conceptualised needs better recreation facilities,” he said.

A part of the Bhalswa Lake complex is maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Sources in the Delhi government said if needed, team Kejriwal may also approach the Union urban development ministry for close coordination with the authority.  

A proposal is also being considered to start rafting in a two kilometre stretch of a water body at Kanganheri and Chhawla in south west Delhi.

Sources said since the municipal corporations are ruled by the BJP, the functionaries in the Delhi government are expecting a hostile response to any suggestion for a takeover of maintenance services at the tourist spots.  

“Public welfare will be our priority and we will not compromise on it,” said another official, promising to come out with a blueprint on the way forward.    
DH News Service