While elected representatives often claim that they are connected with people of their constituency regularly and are popular among their electorate, councillors in North Delhi Municipal Corporation are facing an ‘identity crisis’ of a different kind.
Arguing that since people in their area lack knowledge of residential address of their municipal councillor, the North Corporation has decided to use public money to erect signboards containing the residential address of the local councillors at different locations in all the municipal wards.
The House of North Corporation passed a proposal to that effect on Monday.
This is for the first time in the history of municipal corporation that the councillor’s fund will be used for such purpose.
Residential address
According to the proposal, five signboards of 4x5 feet size will be erected in each municipal ward that would display the residential address of the municipal councillor, along with a clear map of the roads leading to the address from the site at which the boards is installed.
Expenditure for erecting the signboards will be met from the local area development fund of the councillors.
The proposal was tabled before the House by BJP councillor Sobha Vijendra, wife of ex BJP president Vijendra Gupta.
“It has been witnessed that needy people face problem in reaching the home of municipal councillors. Several people within the ward as well as those visiting from outside do not have knowledge of the address of the councillor. Several times, such people even end up being fleeced by people like rickshaw pullers,” said Vijendra.
While the North Corporation passed the proposal, some of the senior leaders in the corporation criticised the move.
“It is difficult to imagine that not even the local residents know the residence of the local councillor. If that is the case with some of the councillors who otherwise claim to be very popular in their area, I don’t think the signboards will be of great help,” said a senior BJP councillor.
