Faridabad’s growth in the slow lane

Bijendra Ahlawat

For Faridabad city, the wheels are turning though at a slow pace. With development in the slow lane, the city seems to be trying hard to shrug off the tag of being a poor cousin of Gurugram. It has been selected for the Smart City programme and the ongoing projects of Metro Rail extension to Ballabhgarh, expansion of the National Highway No. 19 to six lanes, paving of roads, rejuvenation of industrial sectors and development works are meant to give it a new look and image. 

Faridabad city, once known as the Manchester of North India due to the presence of over 22,000 industrial units, seems to have lost the sheen as many large units have either closed down or shifted out over issues related to labour and power and red tape. While neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Noida have made big strides with regard to civic infrastructure, Faridabad is still reeling under shortage of basic amenities. Shortage of drinking water, poor sewerage and drainage system, poor roads, erratic power supply and a sharp decline in air quality coupled with haphazard growth of unauthorised colonies and slum clusters in the past two or three decades have perhaps earned it the label of a dying city. Better connectivity with Delhi and Gurguram, expansion of the national highway to six lanes and the start of the Metro rail two years ago are said to be the major achievements of the city in the past one decade. 

The two irrigation canals of Agra and Gurugram passing through the city have turned into sewerage due to dumping of filth and sewage waste. It is claimed that the city is now free from open defecation and stray cattle menace, but still there are many who are without toilets and cattle can be seen wandering on roads. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is successful on paper only as garbage is seen dumped on roadsides and drains still remain choked with filth and waste. Officials say Rs 50 lakh has been spent to clean drains this year, but its impact is not visible even as improper disposal of garbage continues. Though the city was to be the first to set up a plant to generate power from garbage (the project is still in the construction phase), the decision to outsource garbage lifting to a foreign company as part of the power project has become a bone of contention between the Municipal Corporation and its employees union, which often strikes work, causing inconvenience to local residents.

It is claimed that the Rs 2,601-crore Smart City project will be a game changer for Faridabad that has the largest population in the state. Though the project will be limited to only 1,267 acres, covering just a handful of sectors or colonies, it is expected to have a cascading effect on other parts of the city. Officials claim that dividends of infrastructure development will gradually percolate to other parts under the Pan City concept under which finances are made available through private and public participation. The 69 sub projects under the Smart City mission are expected to be completed within the next three years. However, the project launched in May 2016 is progressing at a slow pace.

Less than 10 per cent of the Smart City project work has been completed in more than two years. Special facilities to be provided under the project include an intelligent traffic management system, intelligent car parking system, smart toilets, smart auto and taxi stands, and sky walkways. The civic infrastructure  to be upgraded include decentralised STPs, waste water recycling, rainwater harvesting, automated online water quality monitoring, LED street lighting, open air gyms, multimodal hubs and a provision of basic services in slums. The opening of the KGP and KMP expressways will also provide relief to the city from traffic congestion and air pollution as more than 50,000 vehicles using the city roads will then use these expressways. “The expansion of the National Highway No. 19 passing through the city to six lanes and the proposal of Rs 500-crore bypass and a bridge over the Yamuna near Manjhawali village to connect the city with Greater Noida will also work towards making Faridabad a world-class city,” says Krishan Pal Gurjar, local MP.

Conditions not good for industry

Nearly half of the industry in Faridabad city is located in non-conforming areas having poor civic infrastructure. This is when the industry contributes several hundreds of crores of rupees as revenue to the state every year. “The growth in the past one decade has been below expectation,” says Col S Kapoor (Retd), Director, Faridabad Industries Association. The city has generated just 15 per cent employment during this period and the present conditions are not too lucrative for the industry. High power tariffs, unaffordable land prices and lack of labour reforms have been hindering growth, he says. “Unusual delay in fast-tracking the Rs 132 crore infrastructure upgrade project is a classic example of the lackadaisical approach of the state government,” says Ramneek, an entrepreneur. 

Faridabad is the largest exporter of henna or mehandi in India. According to the Faridabad Henna Manufacturing Association, the sale of henna from the city is between Rs 250 crore and Rs 300 crore every year. It has more than half the number of registered operational factories in Haryana. However, according to a study, the growth has declined in the last two decades. The contribution of the Faridabad industry to state revenue has also declined from 29 per cent to 22 per cent in the past decade.

Red tape, corruption bane of tourism

The Badkhal and Surajkund lakes, once main attractions of Haryana tourism, have dried up. “Repeated announcements to revive the Badkhal lake has proved to be hollow claims, as nothing has been done in the past few years,” says AK Gaur, a resident. Uncontrolled mining and illegal bore wells have left the Badkhal lake, the largest natural lake of Haryana, totally dry. Poor management, red tape and corruption have been the bane of tourism in the state.

Smart transport system need of the hour

“One of the major issues facing Faridabad city is lack of a proper city transportation system,” says Varun Sheokand, an RTI Activist. This has led to the growth of auto-rickshaws as the main transportation mode. More than 25,000 auto-rickshaws ply in the city, causing pollution and adding to traffic chaos. “The Smart City project without an efficient public transport system will not be successful,” he adds. The Metro Rail facility has only  limited use. Almost 60 per cent of the 109 buses in the city bus service have not been operating, says Ramashray Prasad of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union. Poor upkeep has rendered these buses defunct, he adds. Though the Metro extension to Ballabhgarh city is still to be made operational, local residents are demanding that it be extended to more areas, especially Greater Faridabad, besides a direct access to other NCR towns. Vipul Goel, Industries Minister and local MLA, says a proposal to link Faridabad with Noida and Gurugram is on the cards. 

Sports infrastructure not upgraded

“Development of sports infrastructure has also been below expectation,” says Sarkar Talwar, a former cricket Ranji Trophy player. The Nahar Singh International Cricket Stadium was once a jewel in the crown of Indian cricket but it has been lying unused in the absence of maintenance. No national or international tournaments have been held in the stadium for the past one decade and it has turned into a dusty spot crying for attention. “The government claims that crores of rupees have been spent on creation of facilities, including laying of an Astroturf and a synthetic track in the sports complex in Sector 12, the delay of 10 to 12 years in starting the indoor stadium has affected sports and sportspersons,” says Mohan Dhillon, a sports enthusiast.

Second most polluted city in country

Faridabad is second on the list of the most polluted cities in the country. “All factors contributing to air pollution are present here,” says Jitender Bhadana, an environment activist. The Agra and Gurugram canals, chaotic traffic or industry, everything is contributing to air pollution. Construction and illegal mining have been going on unchecked, he adds. Vipul Goel, Environment Minister, says the green cover has increased due to continuous plantation in the past few years. The Gurugram and Agra canals have been getting filthy water from their source in Delhi.

Greater Faridabad a modern slum

“Though a master plan is important for the development of a city, such a proposal here is still to prove its worth,” says Devender Singh, a retired government official. While plans have been prepared and approved on paper, these have been rendered useless in view of the land mafia operating under the patronage of political leaders. While hundreds of acres of government land is still under encroachment, carving out of illegal colonies every year has added to the civic woes in the city and led to development of slum clusters. Pramod Manocha, a social activist, says that more than five lakh people are still living without adequate power and water supply and sewerage facility in the city. Greater Faridabad is an example of a modern slum, as almost 30,000 families have no sewerage facility. Vipul Goel says that the work on providing sewerage to every household is progressing and it is expected to be operational soon.