Tuesday, January 28, 2014

ANAND VIHAR – the two sides – brighter & darker; positive & negative ! : T K Balu


        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

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