Finally, DDA accepts mass maintenance due to persistent followup & media pressure

DDA SFS Pocket-1 in Sector-10 of Dwarka was plagued with problem of falling gritwash plaster from outer walls. These heavy chunks had fallen from outer wall and smashed windscreen of 2 cars and roof of one car last year. Residents escaped grievous injury by a whisker.

In April 2010, first complaint was lodged with DDA on poor quality of gritwash plaster. In subsequent months, meetings were held with Executive Engineer (WD-15), Superintending Engineer (CC-17) and finally with Chief Engineer (Dwarka). Orders were issued to WD-15 staff to survey and prepare repair estimates.

In the meantime, heavy showers during monsoon led to further damage to property. DDA was again requested to at least remove all loose and precariously hanging gritwash plaster pieces. Few pieces were removed, but pace was very slow. Sense of urgency was missing.

Help of media was taken and, thankfully, Hindustan Times, CityPlus and Dainik Jagran published stories with photographs highlighting danger to life & property of residents.

Vice Chairman (DDA) was also approached with compilation of follow-up letters, photographs & media reports. Ultimately, Chief Minister and Lt. Governor were also petitioned.

Year long follow-up finally paid off. In April 2011, DDA finally floated tender to remove all hanging gritwash plaster pieces, re-plastering of the same and also filling up of grooves between gritwash slabs throughout the pocket to strengthen outer wall plaster.

Persistence and media pressure ultimately yielded results. This is the first time in Dwarka that DDA would be doing mass scale repair and maintenance throughout the pocket.

As the precedent has been set, ALL affected DDA pockets in Dwarka should approach DDA to carry out repairs of faults commonly affecting most of the flats.

Property Tax Harassment by MCD in Dwarka

For last few weeks, residents of DDA pockets in Dwarka have been reportingreceipt of notices from MCD on non-payment of property tax for last 6 years since2004-05. Residents have been summoned to appear personally at MCD A&C office with documents and evidence of payments. It seems, MCD is sending such notices to EVERY flat owner of EVERY pocket / CGHS in Dwarka.


Except few, almost all residents have been paying their property taxes in time every year. In fact, many of residents have been enjoying early-payment rebates.
 
After MCD introduced online submission of property tax returns, many of residents shifted to online method. Online submission automatically allocates unique property id number to each resident address. But, instead of compiling such information and acting only on non-payment properties, MCD has issued notices to each and sundry accusing residents of default.

MCD, without doing their homework, is putting onus on residents to build their files. This is sheer harassment and waste of time of residents.

Metro MisInformation

Dwarka - Noida / Anand Vihar route is quite popular amongst Dwarkaites and carries maximum load on Delhi Metro. It remains busy throughout the day. Metro goes alternately to Noida and Anand Vihar respectively. On return route, metro alternately terminates at Dwarka station and goes inside Dwarka for different sectors. Routine announcement are made in metro terminating at Dwarka that all passengers bound for Dwarka sub city stations should get down at Dwarka Mor station as metro would not go inside Dwarka sub city, but terminate at Dwarka itself.

On Dwarka side, till some time ago, last station was Dwarka Sector-9. This was then extended to Dwarka Sector-21.

DMRC seems oblivious of this fact. Announcement being made in trains terminating at Dwarka still asks passengers to alight at Dwarka Mor and wait for next train to Dwarka sector-9. In fact, no metro signage shows sector-9 any more. Metro trains going inside Dwarka sub city show Sector-21 as last destination. This leads to confusion among passengers, specially among visitors to Dwarka.

DMRC is requsted to modify announcements immediately.

New Traffic Lights in Dwarka installed without thought

Please look at positioning of traffic light installed at sector-6 intrasection near Kaveri Apartments. Traffic light pole has been mounted just behind elecricity pole blocking half the light. One has to crane his/her neck out to view correct status of traffic light. Such confusion may lead to accidents.

In Dwarka Sub City, sectors are typically of size 900mx900m. Almost all sectors are divided mid-way through a intrasector road, thereby placing all road intersections 450m apart. Traffic lights were initially installed at each intersector boundary. Now these newly installed traffic lights at intrasector junctions means 3 traffic lights within 900m distance. If this is not over-regulation, then what is.

Burden of such over-regulation can be reduced by insisting on synchronising traffic lights on adjacent intersections on identified main roads. Traffic Police should promote latest state-of-the-Art traffic controllers supporting synchonised road corridors, rather than continuing with obsolete equipment which hinders smooth traffic flow. Else Dwarka advantage of smooth wide roads would get nullified by forcing commuters to stop every 450m.

DDA's Apathy & Inaction. Danger to Life & Property

Please look at the photographs above. These are the result of DDA's Apathy & Inactiontowards resident's woes. In April 2010, entire DDA officialdom in Dwarka was informed of danger of likely loss of property or life of residents in SFS pocket-1 of sector-10 in Dwarka due to falling grit-wash wall slabs. They were reminded again in different meetings with residents and through letters with photographs in next 3 months. DDA was especially requested to remove precariously hanging slabs first to minimize danger of loss of life & property before approaching monsoon. Re-building could have been attempted after completing required tender formalities.

Monsoon rains during last 2 days turned out to be last straw. Result was falling of almost 2 feet by 3 feet grit wash slab over a new Maruti car resulting in 2 feet long hole and severe denting of entire roof. Just imagine, what would have happened if same slab would have fallen on a resident?

Who is responsible for this loss? Would DDA official concerned foot the repair bill? At least, DDA should wake up now and remove remaining dangerous slabs in our pocket and elsewhere in Dwarka Sub City.