Sandwiched between the Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road, and the Delhi border on the other side, residents of Sectors 22 and 23, experience the mix of the good and bad that the Millenneium City offers. While the residents have easy access to the National Capital, Indira Gandhi International Airport, and the industrial hub of Udyog Vihar, they also have to face the brunt of poor infrastructure and lack of civic facilities.
Most of the local residents admit that the dream of living a quality life, away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi, has turned sour.
“Adequate availability of drinking water, 24-hour power supply, and a good security setup—was something that the residents of the Millennium City had taken for granted when they purchased plots here in the early nineties,” says M.S. Yadav, President of Sector 23-A, RWA. However, the civic agencies and the government have failed to provide the necessary facilities for the citizens to live comfortably, he adds.
Air Vice Marshal (Retd) J.K. Pathania, who lives in the same Sector, says that the major problem faced by residents in the area is inadequate supply of drinking water.
“We have only been given pipe connections, but these cannot be called water connections; as the water does not reach us. I wonder how they call it a Millennium City, even when some basic facilities are not fulfilled”, says Pathania, sarcastically.
Fluctuation in power is also something that is hitting the residents hard. Yadav alleged that there are numerous power surges, that damage household electronic equipment, routinely.
In comparison, the residents of Sector 23, East Pocket, are more or less satisfied by the working of the HUDA, and other agencies. They, however, complain that the government agencies only take short term measures and do not resolve the problems effectively.
S.P. Kaushik, President of the Sector 23-E, RWA, says that while the power situation has improved as compared to last year, the condition of power cables is very bad. The power cables snap frequently, and this can lead to fatal accidents, he warns.
Water logging, poor drainage and lack of proper transport facilities, also cause a lot of problems to inhabitants living here. Kaushik says that people are being fleeced by the autowallahs, though the arrival of the Metro has made things easier.
In Sector 22-B, residents allege that despite 99 per cent of the Sector having been developed, there is no local market. S.S. Yadav, President of the RWA, rues that six acres of land meant for a playground are lying vacant; while a demand for a Mother Dairy booth has fallen on deaf years.
People in the area are also unhappy with the running of illegal water tankers, and want the authorities to take action against them. Bhim Singh, another functionary, says there are rampant encroachments along the Sector roads, that need to be removed—to ensure the area remains safe and secure.
Ravinder Yadav, Councillor from Ward No. 2—in which these two Sectors fall—says that he is trying to take up the various problems being faced by people in the area. “I have got two tubewells approved, for Chauma and Mullaheda respectively; and this will resolve the problem of drinking water to some extent”, he adds.
Despite the shortcomings, both these sectors can boast of a number of positives as well. There are good markets that are a boon for shoppers, as items of daily need can be obtained easily. Good quality restaurants and coffee shops—like Pizza Hut, Cafe Coffee Day, Om Sweets, Manpasand, Agarwal Sweets, Frontier Biscuits—dot these two Sectors. There are adequate banking facilities and ATMs; and shops selling groceries and vegetables make life easy for the residents. Ansal Shopping Plaza, in neighbouring Palam Vihar, is another attraction, as it has stores like Reliance, Croma electronics store, Subway, Samsung, and a multiplex as well.
In addition, the 30-acre Tau Devi Lal Park is almost a local tourist attraction; where hundreds of people throng everyday to enjoy nature.
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