Promises unmet, anger palpable among traders

TWO YEARS ago, the Delhi government, in its Rozgaar budget 2022-24, announced that it would redevelop the Gandhi Nagar market into a “Great Garment Hub of Asia” by converting it into an organised shopping area. However, the project is yet to take off. Now, the failed promise could be a major issue affecting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as Delhi goes to vote in the Lok Sabha elections next month.

Falling under East Delhi constituency, Gandhi Nagar, one of Asia' s biggest wholesale garment markets, is reeling under basic infrastructural issues like poor roads, dangling naked wires, par kings, traffic jams, lack of public toilet sand water supply .“for the last two-three years, we have been listening about the market redevelopment but nothing has happened on the ground ... my vote is dependent on the work done by the government...” said Gautam Du a who owns a wholesale showroom of clothes for children.

On why the announcement made in the budget was not followed through, a Delhi governmentofficial said ,“meetings were held with stakeholders concerned and the proposal was also moved for sanction. But, the project got stuck after the arrest of former deputy CM Manish Sisodia...”

KK Balli, president of Ashok Bazar, said: “We heard that the government has identified three locations for parking and funds were sanctioned but when we approached the minister sand the department... we got no reply.”

Jugal Batra, 73, who owns a shop selling hangers and cloth bags, told the indian express :“aap made tall promises of developing this area ... let alone vehicles, even I can't walk on these roads withouthelp because of the pot holes ...”

Deepak Yadav, 22, said, “Parking is a major problem...be it the BJP or the AAP, no party has done anything in this area...”

Majid Ali, a street vendor, said, “Kam toh yahan kuch nahi hua (no work has been done) but I will vote for AAP because they are giving us free power, good schools...”

Meanwhile, two labourers were seen discussing INDIA bloc. Said Mohammad Naushad: “Oh, Congress is fighting with AAP... then I will also vote for BJP.”

Sanjay Jain, vice-president of Ram na gar market, gandhi na gar, said, “The market sees over 3 lakh customers and workers a day, but there are no proper toilets. The traders’ body collected money, constructed a private toilet but the corporation does not even clean it .... ” The traders’ association, meanwhile, said the market has a 40,000-strong women workforce and there are no toilets for them.

BJP MLA from Gandhi Nagar Anil Bajpayee and AAP minister Saurabh Bhardwaj did not respond to calls seeking a response.