New Delhi: Since his release from jail, former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has been assessing the deteriorating condition of roads in the national capital. Alongside Delhi Chief Minister, Atishi Singh, Kejriwal has inspected several road sections and asked Singh to instruct the Public Works Department (PWD) to make them pothole-free by Diwali. However, the opposition has labeled this as a political gimmick, claiming that despite being in power for almost a decade, AAP has consistently ignored road infrastructure issues in Delhi. They assert that Kejriwal’s current road surveys are a mere tactic to mislead Delhiites ahead of the upcoming elections.
Earlier this week, Atishi announced that the government would launch a comprehensive road repair and strengthening initiative across the city to ensure a pothole-free Delhi by Diwali. She mentioned that all Delhi ministers, along with local MLAs and officials, will begin inspecting the roads, expressing hope that by the end of October, the city will have pothole-free roads for all residents.
In recent months, the condition of roads across Delhi has worsened, particularly following a prolonged monsoon, despite several sections being reconstructed ahead of last year’s G20 summit. According to data from the Public Works Department (PWD), the department has received 2,193 complaints related to road issues, including broken dividers, damaged surfaces, and missing kerbs, along with 2,008 grievances about potholes, and 679 regarding waterlogging. However, 612 complaints about broken roads and 654 concerning potholes remain unresolved. The data also shows a spike in pothole and road-related complaints in September compared to August. A PWD official noted that the city experienced unusually heavy rainfall this monsoon, particularly in September, which led to the development of potholes. Due to the rain, repair work could not begin, but with the monsoon now ending, repairs are scheduled to start in October. The official added that if the pollution ban does not take effect, the work will proceed quickly.
The Najafgarh-Dhansa Road was found to be damaged at several spots due to waterlogging. Similarly, the Modi Mill flyover had potholes at the U-turn and a stripped road surface. At Windsor Palace roundabout, near Ashoka Road, a damaged section was also seen, with similar issues at 14 Ashoka Road on the carriageway from C-Hexagon towards Windsor Palace. The situation was even worse on Rohtak Road, from Nangloi to Tikri Border and vice versa, with potholes and waterlogging causing significant damage. Consequently, the traffic police issued an advisory for alternative routes. These conditions can be found throughout Delhi. Awdesh Kumar, a daily commuter on Rohtak Road, said that the situation has remained unchanged for years, with politicians claiming to have built world-class roads, but in reality, the situation is dire.
Rohan Singh, a daily commuter on Outer Ring Road, said, “For years, we’ve heard promises of improved infrastructure, yet the roads remain in terrible shape. Politicians boast about modernising the city, but every day we’re navigating potholes and waterlogged streets. The reality is far from what they claim.”
A 60-year-old resident shared with the newspaper, “The deteriorating road infrastructure in our city serves as a constant reminder of unfulfilled promises. Instead of enjoying smooth travels, we are confronted with potholes and waterlogging daily, highlighting how our leaders have overlooked the fundamental aspects of urban living.”
BJP has raised concerns about the poor state of roads in the capital and criticised the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for worsening the city’s condition. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused AAP of spending the past decade “ruining roads and neglecting their upkeep,” only to wake up around 10 weeks before the upcoming Delhi elections were announced. He alleged that during the past decade, mismanagement and corruption worth crores of rupees occurred in road construction, with the government ignoring the issue for 10 years.
Now, with elections approaching, they are staging a show of repairs.
Speaking to the media, Sachdeva held Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain, Manish Sisodia, and Atishi chiefly responsible for the deteriorating state of Delhi’s roads. He expressed confidence that the people of Delhi would reject them in the upcoming assembly elections. Sachdeva also highlighted corruption within the Delhi Jal Board and the Public Works Department (PWD), particularly in their failure to clean drains and sewers, which he claimed has significantly contributed to road damage. This negligence, he added, results in annual waterlogging, further worsening road conditions and causing cave-ins across the city. Drawing a comparison to the poor road conditions during Lalu Yadav’s tenure in Bihar, BJP maintained that despite any last-minute inspections or repairs by Atishi and her team, Delhi’s residents would not forgive them.
Sachdeva warned that the Kejriwal government would be held accountable for its corruption and incompetence.
Even BJP›s archrival, Congress, appears to agree with them in holding AAP accountable for the poor state of Delhi›s roads. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav called Kejriwal›s recent focus on issues like broken roads after stepping down as nothing more than a political tactic. Yadav noted that Kejriwal showed no such concern when governance was in disarray during his tenure, especially when he held onto his position despite being jailed in connection with the liquor scam, which Yadav described as a blatant abuse of power. He also claimed that even after resigning, Kejriwal continued to benefit from the privileges of office, staying in the official residence meant for the chief minister and often appearing alongside Atishi, whom Yadav referred to as the «dummy CM.»
Yadav further criticised Kejriwal for neglecting Delhi›s development over the past decade, accusing the AAP government of failing to maintain infrastructure like roads, drains, and sewers and neglecting essential services such as water supply, hospitals, schools, and garbage removal. Yadav pointed to Kejriwal›s lack of action during the waterlogging crisis, which led to over 40 deaths, and accused him of prioritising political matters over governance. He argued that AAP has been ineffective throughout Kejriwal›s leadership, focusing more on corrupt deals like the liquor scam. Yadav claimed that Delhi saw real progress only under Congress›s 15-year rule, while both AAP and BJP have failed to govern effectively.