Anand
Vihar, the second biggest cooperative housing society, the first one being
Surajmal Vihar, in East Delhi, is endowed with all facilities and needs
normally expected by people who are residing and wish to shift to this most
sought after colony from all corners of Delhi! Of course the colony has its own
darker spots too, which cause and expected to cause, with the passage of time,
a lot of problems to the residents!
On the brighter side, the colony
founded in 1975, covering an area of 90 acres of land bestowed by the DDA and
divided into four blocks for residential and provided requisite sites for
institutional and other purposes. It has a record number of 903 independent
residential plots, which are now growing into a ‘flatted’ colony, accommodating
over 20,000 young and old people, with a total greenery environment! The colony
has 14 parks, big and small, a neighbourhood park and two slots of ‘green
belts’, both maintained by DDA, 5
tot-lots, 7 schools, right from nursery to senior secondary; DDA markets in
each block, almost all nationalized and private banks, in and around, hospitals
and nursing homes, a community hall and club for recreational, social and
cultural activities, a post office, police station etc. and last but not the
least, considered to be a ‘transport hub’
with railway terminal and suburban stations, ISBT and DTC buses and metro
trains, unheard of at any one location in Delhi! It is difficult to compare in
contrast any other residential areas in Delhi!
To
manage and extend all assistance to the residents, the RWA, known as the Railway Board Employees’ Cooperative
Society Ltd., registered under the Delhi Cooperative Society Act way back
in 1961, is functioning effectively and efficiently, with no rancor or rival,
for the last over four decades, in an admirable manner and inimitable style,
with accolades and appreciation of one and all, including the Govt. agencies.
To keep in touch will residents, in and out, the Society publishes a ‘Residents’ Directory’, with all
requisite details, supplemented with a lot of information and data, for ready
reference by the residents, besides a booklet containing the ‘List of Members’ of the Society with
their registration nos., dates of birth, contact nos. etc., to greet and meet
each other, with the munificence of one of the founder Secretaries of the
Society! The local MLA and Councillor also patronize the colony in many ways
within their powers bestowed by the local Govt. Of course, the Society has also
taken a number of laudable measures towards the security and safety of
residents, but despite all such steps, dacoity, thefts and rampant chain
snatching continue to take place, mainly perhaps due to its extensive area and
innumerable outlets, in all directions, and proximity to adjacent state
territory, beyond the capital’s jurisdiction!!
On the flip side, of course, there are
many problems, built-in or otherwise, being faced by the residents. These form
the ‘darker side’ of the colony, with no short term solutions in sight! The
colony has one of the few biggest overhead water tank constructed in seventies
and utilized till early eighties, but now abandoned to be demolished for which
no action has been taken so far by the authorities concerned which may cause a
havoc and calamity in the colony if it crumbles and fall! The parks and markets
are not maintained properly and cleaned as a regular measure by the authorities
concerned, but thanks to a few ‘Samaritans’ who are passionate about their
maintenance! Owing to extensive building activities throughout the colony, the
streets are strewn with malba etc. causing a havoc to cleanliness of the roads.
Uncleaned storm water drains in front of houses cause overflowing of dirty
water, making it a fertile ground for growth of mosquitoes and their attended
menace! With the vertical growth of the colony, parking of vehicles is assuming
a bigger problem congesting the colony roads and lanes and leading to many a time vocal and physical combats amongst
the people. No action whatsoever has been taken to remove encroachments on
roads with kitchen gardens, barricades and elevated ramps, accentuating the
parking problems further! Added with the colony’s ‘vertical’ growth, shortage
of electric power and water problems,
manifest in many shades and hues! There is no place for children to play inside
the colony and the school authorities refuse to let their playgrounds being
used by them, outside the school hours, despite a mandate from the DDA in this
respect, while allotting the school plots to their management! With the
expansion of the railway terminal on one side of the colony, commuters to the
terminal pass through the colony in all modes of transport, making it a
thoroughfare, disturbing the peace and tranquil atmosphere of the Vihar! Of
course, all this and more, are creation of humans and could be solved smoothly
and successfully by the agencies concerned if they pay adequate and desired
timely attention urgently!
T K Balu
