It’s time to declare our intent…of what we believe this unique City can and should offer.
Gurgaon provides the perfect opportunity for showcasing the ‘new’ India, and it is a big disappointment that no young leader (including Rahul Gandhi) has been able to ‘see’ it – despite most living very close. Maybe politics makes most ‘leaders’ myopic – they seem to lose their vision (whatever) pretty early. Gurgaon has of course developed some world-class infrastructure in the Condos, Offices and Malls, but of far greater significance is the mix of our people. There is the core farm-based rural population in the villages (as also the upward mobile who have moved out to the City), the migrant labour, the property dealers and various service providers, the blue collar industrial workforce, the white collar BPO/IT manpower, the corporate/MNC executives, and the public sector, govt and (ex)defence personnel. There is youth aplenty, along with hundreds of schools; the residents have come from literally all parts of India, and the globe - there are expatriates in the thousands. We are a true global melting pot. As India urbanises, evolves and modernises, Gurgaon can provide a live benchmark for the rest of the country. Gurgaon can be chosen to ‘model’ and/or ‘lead’ India on:
1) modern life-style
2) cosmopolitan culture
3) n industrial mega-township (around Manesar, with the upcoming KMP (Kundli- Manesar-Palwal) Expressway and the DMIC (Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor)
4) odern education
5) odern healthcare
6) n MNC (Multi-National Corporation) Hub - beyond BPO/IT
7) n integrated city (rural-urban, village-town)
8) Green City (Non-Motorised Transport, Solar, no Diesel generators, protected Aravallis, revived Water bodies).
9) ‘PPP’ (Public Private Partnership) Capital - along with NGOs
The last three (7, 8 & 9) are areas that we are yet to work on. They carry immense potential and benefit and would be worth the challenge. For 8 & 9, Model Projects in part(s) of the City would be a worthwhile way to progress. Public Private Partnership, in this Corporate City, with the Corporate Social responsibility Bill now almost in force and with many worthy NGOs at work here, can be a game changer. Gurgaon can well be the most innovative and effective PPP implementer globally – and at least become the PPP Capital of India.
Unfortunately the State and the CM have only been able to see ‘Land’ and ‘Builders’ (not even Developers) for almost a decade. Gurgaon’s electorate needs to preferably vote and choose a Party (and therefore an MP) whom they think will rule India after the elections; however, that Party should also be one that will deliver effective civic facilities and services to the aam aadmi. We need to have Gurgaon developed and monitored (for water, power, roads, wage, roads, public transport, traffic, EWS Housing) in a more planned manner – preferably through the NCR Planning Board (and not Chandigarh). Chandigarh and Panchkula are adding little value. Alternatively, we need a Gurgaon Development Authority – a nodal Agency running every service and department in the City, with the requisite authority. The GDA Head needs to have the vision, effectiveness, integrity and ‘no nonsense’ approach of a Sreedharan (of Metro fame).
The Builder-Politician-Bureaucrat nexus needs to be broken. A new MP must push for the following actions:
DTCP (Dept. of Town & Country Planning) should physically review all 5 year + projects that have still not been issued a Completion Certificate. The respective builders should get 6 months to complete all pending work, or be levied exemplary penalties on a one time and then monthly basis. Meanwhile all their new projects in the new sectors of Gurgaon (58 to 115) should be put on hold (or they should be blacklisted for any further project in Haryana).
No borewell should be allowed in any new construction project. Anyone flouting this rule should be treated with similar penalties as above.
All land that was taken in the name of SEZs, and not ‘utilised’ for that purpose, should be returned to the respective farmers.
All constructed EWS Housing should be allotted to EWS beneficiaries within 3 months; those currently staying in EWS flats/plots should be (re)verified.
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