Growth bypasses 2nd largest city in the state
RESENTMENT People say its inclusion in Smart City plan would’ve put infrastructural progress on fast lane
second largest city Jodhpur witnessed less-than-expected infrastructure development in the past four-and-a-half years, residents and opposition say. No major project was started under the present state government for the facelift of the city.
According to the latest data, Jaipur has a population of 3,750,000, and Jodhpur comes second in the state with a count of 1,400,000 inhabitants.
During Vasundhara Raje’s current tenure as the chief minister, two new railway overbridges (ROBs) were inaugurated in the city, but the foundations of both had been laid during the previous Congress government. The foundation stone of a new overbridge was laid two months ago.
Jodhpur residents are unhappy over the non-inclusion of their city in the Centre’s Smart City project. Chartered accountant Navin Borana said, “There is no big work on the ground level. Had Jodhpur been selected for the Smart City project, infrastructure development would have been better.”
A 36-km sewer line is being laid in the city under the Amrut (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Transformation) scheme. Madhu Goyal of Pratap Nagar said, “We had asked for covering an open nullah in the colony, but no government agency has done it. An accident can happen in the open nullah during monsoon.”
The government has renovated Sardar Museum at Umaid Garden, which has become a tourist attraction. The Jodhpur Development Authority (JDA) has developed selfie points in many places of the city and beautified main circles. Surendran Solanki of Magra Next week: Bikaner Punjla said, “The city’s main circles are being widened and beautified; this will improve traffic movements.”
JDA and the Municipal Corporation are not able to start major projects in the absence of financial help. The Jojari riverfront project, Kaylana biodiversity park, and the traffic management project have remained on paper. The government recently sanctioned ~12 crore for upgrading a sewerage treatment plant in Jodhpur.
Pointing out neglect of Jodhpur, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot accused Raje of not following ‘rajdharma’. “She is ignoring Jodhpur for political reasons. During her tenure, she did not start a new project for Jodhpur. She should pay attention to the development of the whole state.”
Gehlot claimed that the chief minister was inaugurating the projects started in his tenure.
The progress of the projects, started under the previous government for infrastructure development in the medical college and allied hospitals, has been slow. During the previous government, foundation stones for an OPD, emergency ward, and a daycare centre were laid at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, but construction work has been stopped for the past two years. Public works department officials said the work could not be completed because of non-allocation of funds.
After half an hour of rain, roads become ponds in most of the colonies owing to lack of drainage. Ravi Ayani of Devnagar said, “After a spell of rain, it becomes difficult to go from one colony to another. There is no drainage of rainwater.”
Rajeev Mehta of Chopasani Housing Board said, “Roads get broken in rain every year, but no government agency has made permanent arrangements for rainwater drainage.”
JODHPUR:Rajasthan’s