The 2031 Development Plan - Gurgaon Manesar Urban Complex – was finalized.
Similar plans for Pataudi/Sohna/Farukhnagar - within Gurgaon District – were announced. Gurgaon II (new Sectors 58 to 115) was reconfigured, partly due to the disbanding of the Reliance SEZ project. Farmers violently agitated at Rewari, against forcible acquisition of their land for future govt projects.
Residents began to stay in Gurgaon II, without being given official civic services (water, power, sewerage, connectivity). It is a disaster waiting to happen – apart from it being ‘illegal’.
Commercial real estate occupancy and prices were weak.
Crime/Safety/Police
Carjackings and snatchings and assaults on women have become a daily affair; a few car gangs were busted.
Many people were caught up in frauds – relating to jobs, property, financial schemes.
A New Police Commissioner took charge.
A competent and successful DCP Traffic was transferred (ostensibly because she was ‘tough’ on the toll operator and the civil Administration).
There was no change in the number of policemen, despite a lot of talk on substantially increasing the force.
The BMW case lingered – no one has yet been found guilty….
‘Illegal’ Bangladeshis now allegedly number in the tens of thousands.
The High Security number plates drive was not successful.
The Police Special Emergency Vehicle lies unused – no one also seemed to know how to operate it.
A foundation was laid for a Traffic Tower, and new Police HQ.
Liquor Vends continued to be in your face across the City. It has become impossible to cross the areas on foot, esp. in the evenings. With crimes on the road increasing alarmingly, this policy has to change.
DLF introduced new Fire Stations in Phase V – with tenders capable of reaching 90m.
DLF also introduced state-of-the-art security coverage with a CCTV network overlooking Phase V.
Civic Agencies
There was no increase in the financial delegation of power to the local Administration. This is considered one of the biggest factors contributing to the pathetic state of civic infrastructure, facilities and services.
Special sanctions were provided for civic infrastructure:
Rs 1400 crores – for Water, Sewage for new sectors
Rs 437 crores – for Power Infrastructure
We are yet to see any result; there has been no sharing of status, by the Administration.
A new MCG Commissioner took charge.
A new Divisional Commissioner took charge.
HUDA continued to run its colonies; the transfer to MCG still waits. However, House Tax is going to the MCG ! Clearly there is more money to be made in/from the colony (land/vacant areas/common areas), than from provision of civic services.
The Councillors were virtually silenced. It was not unexpected, given that MCG is hardly playing the role it was set up for (4 years ago).
The collection of House Tax by the MCG became a contentious issue in the private builder areas. RWAs/residents believe that this is ‘double tax’, as they pay maintenance charges to the private builders, for similar services - and MCG has anyway not provided any service to them yet. MCG is supposedly on solid legislative and legal ground - logic and actual delivery be damned.
Basic Services
Severe shortage of water and power led people to come out on the streets in the summer.
Water Harvesting was the most talked of item – and the least done. Whatever little was constructed did not work, or was ineffective.
Many colonies continued to be not connected to the main sewage lines.
Nallahs continued to overflow every monsoon. The Badshahpur Nallah is now a cesspool.
Mobile Toilets were installed on MG Road, and soon picked up and taken away. They were not practical, not maintainable.
Food prices in Gurgaon, like all over India, were very high. Gurgaon now outstrips Delhi in most food rates.
Gurgaon was to get a Food Testing mobile laboratory. However, we still have to be content with sending samples to Chandigarh – and waiting for months for the report; and months again for any action to be taken (which is never shared).
On The Road
HUDA finally undertook repair and relaying of main roads between sectors.
The new HUDA-DLF Road project – from Cyber City to Golf Course Road end - was approved.
The Gurgaon-Faridabad highway was opened – as a toll road.
The project for relaying and widening Sohna Road was started.
Portions of the Southern (SPR) and Northern Peripheral Road (NPR) projects, critical for the future Gurgaon sectors, are still bogged down in legal cases, lodged by farmers/local residents. The Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway is also running late by years.
The Toll Plaza turned out to be the most complex project of the City. However, it does not seem to agitate us as much now. Has it really got better, or do we just not care any longer? After all, even the highest Court is being stymied.
FOBs and flyovers were the maximum promised facilities in 2012. Yet not one came up, or even started. Hero Chowk is now a mirage.
HUDA promised and identified 30+ sites for parking, in ‘New’ Gurgaon, by early 2013. There is still no provision for a multi-level parking site.
Despite plans, road or colony signage in the City remained poor - vernacular signs are even less.
Many sectors continued to have areas without streetlights. The promise of LED Streetlights remained just that.
City Bus service started, without signages and bus shelters; they are still not there after months.
The Volvo service is successful.
Autos are still running without meters.
The Rapid Metro project is on schedule for an early 2013 launch. Phase II (till Sector 56 roundabout on Golf Course Road) was approved.
The Railway Station and Bus Stand were not renovated/upgraded, despite a supposed plan.
Education/Health
The Right To Education has not been implemented within the deadline of December 31st. It will clearly be extended. Very few schools have become complaint. Many have no plans.
Sec 10 Hospital opened after years of neglect.
AIIMS II OPD facility opened 17km from Gurgaon, in Badhsa (Jharsa).
Medical Tourism became a roaring business.
Fortis and St Stephens Hospitals opened in the City.
ESIC Hospital opened in “new’ Gurgaon.
Colonies/Housing/Land
Many residents of private builder colonies have taken charge of the running of their complexes/colonies, as their builders did not provide facilities as promised, nor maintained the area well (eg. Mayfield Gardens, World Spa). RWAs genuinely run by residents are now maturing.
EWS Housing still remained a pipedream for the lakhs of homeless, or those living in slum conditions. Ironically, the two ‘official’ Night Shelters remained barely occupied.
Almost 70 Unauthorized Colonies continued to be denied official civic services. Lakhs of residents are waiting for years to be accepted as bonafide residents.
The DC recorded repeated warnings on: ‘’illegal’ construction in the 900m area off the Ammo Depot/100m area off IAF Depot; illegal’ use of ground water for construction; and ‘illegal’ running of Hookah Bars. When even the DC’s writ does not run, clearly there are other factors at work.
The Gurgaon Administration was appreciated for its Land Records and Property Registration systems – including Satellite Imagery.
Industry
The Honda 2-wheeler factory witnessed labour trouble and violence, wherein a manager lost his life.
Udyog Vihars turned even more Cyber Vihars, or Real Estate (Vacant) Vihars. Industry was unhappy and not willing to expand; new industry hardly came.
IMT Manesar area will likely become just a logistics hub, at best.
The Reliance SEZ proposed project was officially closed. The land, taken from farmers for an SEZ project and jobs, was put into the new Development Plan for Gurgaon – angering the farmers.
An Amul Diary project was proposed at Dharuhera.
A foundation stone was laid for Indian Institute of Company Affairs campus, at Manesar.
The Reebok case is still under investigation, with the main accused still in custody. The Citibank case has also not faced closure.
Environment
A Green House was set up in the City.
Biodiversity Park was taken under MCG charge, and maintained well.
Gutkha/Pan Masala usage was banned.
Polythene/plastic bags are banned with effect from January 1, 2013.
At least half the Mobile Towers in the City were found to be unauthorized. This was apart from the hazards of location of some of the authorized ones.
And…
Expats were provided easier and faster visa extension facility, by the local FRO.
Multiple music concerts of international artists were held – without any major crowd problems.
Yuvraj Singh came back with a bang, from cancer therapy – is a resident of DLF Phase I.
After the success of Zangoora, the Kingdom of Dream unveiled a Kishore Kumar musical – Jhumroo.
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