Basic amenities elude residents living on city outskirts

Even as the city is going to witness another election to elect representatives for the local government, the disparity in development in certain areas is quite visible, especially as the holy city has been accorded a Smart City status.

In many areas of the city, residents are still unable to get the basic amenities. In most cases, a decently paved street is a distant dream. A visit to various localities on Verka Road revealed that many streets are still unpaved. The residents complained that streets are often flooded with sewerage overflow and rain water.

In Civil Lines area, people complain of problem of unkempt parks, traffic, encroachments and illegal parking. However, in comparison, the problems of residents of localities on the outskirts of the city are much bigger and basic as they do not even get clean drinking water.

A large garbage heap, just outside the government school in the area rightly exhibits the success of Swachh Bharat project, which has failed to bring any change in the lives of the people here. A little farther, the residents can be seen crossing the nullah over the 1.5 feet wide bridge which they claimed they had constructed by pooling money.

“Our area and the posh localities of the city are part of the same Smart City project. But when it comes to development, our condition is even worse that the remote rural areas,” complained Raj Kaur of Mohan Nagar in Verka Road area. She said she has turned old hoping that they would get better civic amenities.

In Inderpuri area near Islamabad, the city complained that streets are often flooded with sewerage water. The residents stated that in comparison to their areas, the posh localities of the city get more funds.

“In certain areas, the government can spend huge amounts of money on installing a fountain which goes defunct after few days and in others, people would wait for years to get a street paved with interlocking tiles,” lamented Ram Kumar of Inderpuri. He quipped, “The name of our locality should be changed to Narakpuri.”