RWA Vs Mohalla Sabha ....... A ROUND TYRE for a SQUARE WHEEL

Bhagidari, Municipal Ward Committee (MWC) and now Mohalla Sabha have all been Adhoc Attempts at Decentralised Inclusive Development of the City ....... all three fostering an Advocacy cum Grievance Redresal System, that RWAs had anyway been performing since the early sixties.

YES, there has been a long standing demand to bring RWAs into a Constitutionally Binding Fold.......  making it mandatory for all residents to pay subscriptions and prohibit operation of more than one RWA in a given boundary, with each RWA having a minimum number of households as members etc.

This way RWAs would have become bound by law to occupy office in a legitimate, transparent and orderly fashion. The constitution of RWAs should make it binding on them to conduct business in a well laid out procedure with decisions being taken in AGMs, duly Audited Annual Accounts presented and office bearers elected through secret ballot ..... with the condition that RWAs would remain Apolitical, keeping active workers of Political Parties out of the RWA fold.

While Bhagidari and MWC took all existing RWAs (Genuine & Proxy) into the fold, to give weight and legitimacy to the voice of RWA representatives ..... Mohalla Sabha makes a clear deviation from this practice. Before I dwell on the merits / demerits of this new experiment by the Kejriwal Government, let me first point out what has failed this city.

MCD …… Most Compromised Duplicity* ……. No government in the past or present has made a concerted effort to set the functioning of this Delivery Mechanism of Municipal Services in Order. Multiplicity of Authorities and an Archaic Operating System have virtually made this behemoth unsustainable.

All previous attempts to restructure MCD have been made with the ulterior motive of gaining POLITICAL STRANGLEHOLD, RATHER THAN TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCY. Introduction of LAD Funds, Doubling of Councillors and Trifurcation of MCD ...... have all been experiments to give greater clout and accommodate more Political Workers and Babus in Positions of Power ...... adding manifold to the cost of delivery of services, Bankrupting MCD.

There is an urgent need to set Right MCD’s delivery mechanism, RWAs had for years been the eyes, ears and the voice of citizen needs ....... Bhagidari, MWC and now Mohalla Sabha have and can at best ON PAPER be organisationally more binding in holding the system more accountable ...... but WHO CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF at the end, stands a Delivery Mechanism with a SQUARE SET OF WHEELS WITH ROUND TYRES ?????

Mohalla Sabha only attempts to RETREAD THE TYRE, BY ADDING ONE MORE LAYER to the existing structure of Citizens Voice ....... ‘RWA’ ....... which anyway have been doing a fair job of bringing to the notice citizen needs, to the concerned departments ..... AND MORE ..... like Security Gates, Health/Property Tax/Voter ID Camps, Social & Cultural Functions etc.

The failure lies elsewhere MOHALLA SABHA I fear, will fare no better than all previous experiments and will only achieve what Bhagidari did for Congress, MWC for BJP and likewise Mohalla Sabha for AAP ..... Rs. 350 Cr allocated will also go the LAD way ...... with the citizens left with crumbs.

Warm Regards,

Rajiv Kakria

Candle march !

with thanks : Live Hindustan

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Sir, 

RWAs have experience of working selflessly for the welfare of residents with dedication proposed and these shd be enpowered instead of mohall sabhas which are the mask for AAP and ultimately work as political wing of AAP instead of complimentary these mohalla sabhas will try to destabilise the RWAs to get hold ovrt it so forcing of mohalla sabhas on elected rwas shd be pposed RWAs are apolitical resident welfare bodies and interference of any political party shd be opposed 

SK TALWAR 

RWA vice president 

D blk sector 15 

Rohini

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Mr Anthony Raju has reviewed the views of Mr T K Balu as below :

It appears that the local Govt. have decided to establish 'Mohalla Sabha' at all places all over Delhi to serve dual purpose - (i) to get to know the grievances of 'aam aadmi' living at various colonies etc. and thus get first hand information and (ii) to collate and present them in a consolidated manner to the respective Govt. agencies for redressal of such grievances in an expeditious and smooth way, so that the 'aam aadmi' get the satisfaction of getting them resolved, which had not been done for a considerable length of time, despite having been expressed to the Govt. agencies concerned! 

True the RWAs can also play a vital part in this noble exercise as they have been attending to them in their own way by bringing them to the notice of the Govt. agencies. 

I wish the Mohalla Sabha expected to be constituted meet the local RWAs and get to know their common grievances and what they wish to do, so that they could be more useful and effective, as the former had been dealing with such problems over a period of time! 

In short both the RWAs and the proposed Mohalla Sabhas could be complimentary and supplementary to each other in resolving the common problems of the residents in each colony!! In other words if both these organisations work effectively and purposefully, almost all problems could be resolved and arrived to a logical conclusion in the over all interest of the residents in different colonies. 

The Mohalla Sabhas should not become another mouthpiece of the Govt. and function like a Govt. agency and if it happens, their establishment and role and purpose will be defeated and they cannot achieve their avowed aim and objectives in ample measure for which they are professed to be established and no satisfaction or change could be brought about!! This is my personal view and experts may express their opinion/views on the matter!!

Taking all these issue into the consideration , All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and social Justice demands and requests Honourable Delhi Govt. and LG saheb to take the view of our org and the other RWA so that an amicable solution can be given to the Delhi People, said Dr. Anthony Raju , Advocate.

But in our opinion , The Delhi Govt must give strength to RWA instead of making another junk Sabha , to waste time and public money.

FROM DR ANTHONY RAJU 

A REVIEW - MOHALLA SABHA ANOTHER MISLEADING APPROACH BY AAP

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Dear Vohra Ji, 

RWA---Councillor---MLA---MP. This chain is sufficient to look after the requirements of the Citizens of Delhi. We do not need any other non-constitutional bodies. 

regards, 

Col. Shivraj 

Convenor

Poster Hatao Campaign

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Dear Vohra ji,  

We are against AAP Government ignoring the registered, well-established and functioning RWAs and deciding to form mohalla Sabhas for doing the same work.  It is a sheer waste of efforts and public money.  If fact, Govt should empower RWAs and make them responsible for development work in their respective areas.  Big question - what will happen to RWAs?  

Again, surely we are against ignoring RWAs and forming mohalla sabha to do the same work.

R. N. Gupta

General Secretary

Priyadarshini Vihar RWA

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Dear Mr. Vohra,

It appears that the local Govt. have decided to establish 'Mohalla Sabha' at all places all over Delhi to serve dual purpose - 

(i) to get to know the grievances of 'aam aadmi' living at various colonies etc. and thus get first hand information and 

(ii) to collate and present them in a consolidated manner to the respective Govt. agencies for redressal of such grievances in an expeditious and smooth way, so that the 'aam aadmi' get the satisfaction of getting them resolved, which had not been done for a considerable length of time, despite having been expressed to the Govt. agencies concerned! 

True the RWAs can also play a vital part in this noble exercise as they have been attending to them in their own way by bringing them to the notice of the Govt. agencies. 

I wish the Mohalla Sabha expected to be constituted meet the local RWAs and get to know their common grievances and what they wish to do, so that they could be more useful and effective, as the former had been dealing with such problems over a period of time! 

In short both the RWAs and the proposed Mohalla Sabhas could be complimentary and supplementary to each other in resolving the common problems of the residents in each colony!! In other words if both these organisations work effectively and purposefully, almost all problems could be resolved and arrived to a logical conclusion in the over all interest of the residents in different colonies. 

The Mohalla Sabhas should not become another mouthpiece of the Govt. and function like a Govt. agency and if it happens, their establishment and role and purpose will be defeated and they cannot achieve their avowed aim and objectives in ample measure for which they are professed to be established and no satisfaction or change could be brought about!! This is my personal view and experts may express their opinion/views on the matter!!

TK Balu/Anand Vihar

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

Dear Sir,

Your proposal is timely and important.  We too have a serious concern on this matter and have been talking every where.  In the recently held URJA East Conference,  most of the RWAs raised their serious concern on it. Hence, please chalk out a strategy and invite the RWAs to have their opinion and line of action.

Thanks and kind regards,

Ashok K Bhatnagar

RWA (Kailash Nagar)

RWA ((Laxmi Nagar)

RWAs Vs Mohalla Sabha !

RESPECTED MR. VOHRA, 

AS PER MY OPINION MOHALLA SABHA IS NOTHING BUT TO ENGAGE THE APP WORKER TO EARN THE MONEY. THEY CAN DO BETTER WITH THE BHAGIDARI. THROUHG THESE MOHALLA SABHA THEY WANT TO GIVE BENEFITS TO THEIR WORKERS ONLY. IN DELHI NO BODY KNOW ABOUT THIS. 

DURING THE 49 DAYS OF APP GOVT., THEY HAD STARTED MOHALLA SABHA. IN WARD NO 181 AND D BLOCK KRISHNA PARK, THEY HAD APPOINTED PRESIDENT BELONG TO CHIRAG DELHI. OTHER MEMBERS WAS SOME MALVIYA NAGAR, NEB SARI ETC. WHOSE DID NOT KNOW AREAS OF KRISHNA PARK.

WBR

A.K.VERMA, GEN SEC. 

RWA D BLOCK KRISHNA PARK 

Suggestions for APP Based Luxury Bus Service : B S Vohra

The Ministry of Transport,

Delhi Govt.

Subject : Suggestions for APP Based Luxury Bus Service

Dear Sir,

Please consider as below :

If the Bus aggregator has to decide the Bus route, he will prefer the posh localities as the starting / end point to maximize his gains. This will leave, most of the other colonies untouched by this premium bus service.

Moreover, the passengers mostly have to go to different destinations. How the Bus aggregator will adjust his route ? Will there be more than one buses from every starting point for different destination’s ? In such a case it will again add to the pollution & traffic jam on the roads.

If the Bus aggregator has to fix the fare, he will go for the maximum possible fare as there is no upper limit prescribed. This will have budgetary impact on the pocket of common man. This will also have an impact on the pre booking of the bus.

Payment of tickets through mobile app may also be a problem for few. Similarly, due to pre booking, if bus remains empty, it will impact on the reliability of the service as the passengers on the way are not allowed in the service. Similarly, if at the last minute, bus aggregator pays ten times to the passenger and refuses to take the bus, it will again impact on the reliability of this service.

Such kind of pre booked passengers on the fixed destinations will mainly be during the office hours. Will the buses ply as a routine after the office hours also as in case bus remains empty, bus aggregator will try to avoid the journey.

Last Mile connectivity is a major issue for Delhiites as once out of the Metro there is no suitable connectivity available. Govt must consider this kind of service atleast for the Last Mile Connectivity.

With best regards,

B S Vohra

Social Activist, President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front – Federation

www.RWABhagidari.com

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.in

Suggestions for APP Based Aggregator Luxury Bus Service : Rajiv Kakria

To                                                                                                               

The Ministry of Transport,

NCT, Delhi.

Sub: Suggestions for APP Based Aggregator Luxury Bus Service

Sir,

Following are some points that I see missing in your proposal and a few points that I feel need to be further clarified or amended. The points are in random order, not necessarily in order of importance.

1. PHOTOGRAPH AND BADGE OF DRIVER is not enough ..... Proper Verification of driver and Conductor/Cleaner must be ensured. Anyone with past criminal record must be kept out.

2. EVERY DRIVER SHOULD UNDERGO SPECIAL TRAINING in Social Etiquette's and driving test conducted by Transport Department involving independent institution like AAUI or IIT etc so that we do not suffer like in Blue Line days, especially in case of Licenses issued in other states.

3. ENSURE DRIVERS AND CLEANERS SHOULD HAVE UNIFORMS ......... Blue Line Drivers were seen driving in Sleeveless Vests during summers and wrapped in blankets during winters.

4. TIME LIMIT OF JOURNEY - a reasonable fixed Time Limit for completing a Journey.

5. THE OWNERS AND AGGREGATORS MUST HAVE PARKING FACILITIES for each bus ..... in the Blue Line days the Colony Roads more so near Urban Villages became the Parking Lots ...... causing congestion and feeling of insecurity as the support staff made the bus their home and night shelter ....... from cleaning the bus to bathing in the open was a common sight.

6. THE SERVICE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE 27X7 maybe at correspondingly reduced frequency between 10:00 pm to 7:00 am ....... only then will people be encouraged not to buy cars. If people have cars they are unlikely to move to Buses.

7. THE BUS AGGREGATOR CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO DECIDE THE ROUTE of the bus as suggested ........ all Routes must be prefixed and once the Aggregator picks the route he shall have no right to alter and/or change it. Otherwise they will make the routes longer and serpentine with the passenger not knowing how long it will take to complete the journey.

8. INCENTIVISE LOW DENSITY ROUTES by allowing higher rates. We Must Learn from the Uber And Ola Experience ...... maximum rate per KM must be fixed and not wait for Cartels to form or everyone vying for lucrative routes like in Airlines, A cess can be introduced on high density routes to subsidise low density areas.

9. PRE-APPROVED SPECIFIED DESIGN / COLOUR MUST BE ENSURED -  all buses under the scheme should have Large clear windows without curtains. For night driving buses should be well lit inside for clear visibility from outside. Nirbhaya case should be kept in mind.

These are preliminary submissions, I request you to give an opportunity to elaborate in person along with fellow activists so that our concerns are suitably addressed.

Warm Regards,

s/d

Rajiv Kakria