Talking Shop: Choking On Its Legacy

“Public servants should only

focus on serving the public,

not special interest groups.

And good governance is an

expectation, not exception.”

― Abigail Spanberger

The National Capital of Delhi has a new Government, its people having reposed flickering hope and faith in fresh eyes and a cleaner approach. The hope carries a massive burden of responsibility for the new lot at the helm, that of living up to their promise of making the city a better place. ‘Flickering’ is not trite or being used lightly, it is a desperate optimism expressed by people living in despair. This quail has been catalysed by a succession of political dispensations that have let the people of the city down.

Delhi was enticing enough for the Mughals and British to understand its cultural, strategic and historical opulence, and for those who settled after India achieved independence. The former magnanimity that this city boasts, though, is what kindled its ruination. It has been repeatedly exploited by invaders and power-seekers. Milked and browbeaten by those who came for business, but ended up ruling. Manipulated and misused by many a political hob-nob.

Hygiene is alarmingly absent, pollution from traffic and industries spew poison into the air makes it difficult to breathe, exploitation is a daily occurrence in the name of development, and corruption is rampant in the garb of benevolence. Together, these have run Delhi to the ground. Today, the streets of the city I grew up in are pale shadows of their once-haughty past. Except for some swathes (‘oases’ if you will) in the central and southern parts, the city is smelly, dirty and besieged by overflowing drains and filth. The grandeur is craftily showcased when friends and guests arrive from other cities and nations, the reality cunningly draped and hidden away from majestic vision, such as that sported by Donald when Namaste Trump came a-visiting in 2020. And when the G20 brouhaha happened.

Time to Make Amends

It is make-up time. The new Government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party has a challenge and an opportunity, thrown into one. And Delhi’s neighbouring states are governed by the BJP too—that positions the party quite uniquely to make a difference, as does the fact that the BJP is entrenched in the Centre as well. This ‘alignment of the stars’ offers an opportunity to break the cycle of blame-shifting between state and central authorities. The people of Delhi, sceptical after decades of broken promises, are hoping this will happen. Delhi is gasping—not just for breath, but for dignity as well.

The challenges are many. City infrastructure is creaking under pressure—roads overwhelmed, sewage lines antiquated and the once-majestic Yamuna now an open sewer. Corruption continues to gnaw at municipal efficiency. A report by Transparency International revealed that “70 per cent of Delhi residents have encountered bribery in civic services.” This is a rot that needs cleansing at various fronts and levels.

Given this backdrop, the question in every Dilliwalah’s mind is “will the city get any real change, or just lip service?” The BJP has promised ambitious solutions. Plans include reducing landfill waste by 75 per cent within three years, deploying more electric buses, expanding the Metro network and implementing stricter emission norms. A smog tower has been inaugurated in Connaught Place, though its effectiveness remains debatable.

Experts remain cautious. “Delhi’s pollution and waste crisis require systemic changes, not token gestures,” says Sunita Narain, D-G of the Centre for Science and Environment. “Policy enforcement is weak. Unless there is stringent regulation of vehicular emissions and solid waste management, nothing will change.” Citizens have a role to play too. The culture of littering, encroachment and rampant illegal construction has exacerbated the problem. Any government’s efforts will be meaningless if Delhiites themselves do not adopt responsible civic behaviour.

The Good & The Bad

For those who have lived here long enough, the decay is not merely statistical; it is visceral. I remember the days when Delhi’s air was crisp in the winters and summer evenings carried the scent of mogra, not burnt plastic. The Yamuna, which now resembles a putrid drain, was once a life-sustaining artery. Connaught Place is plagued by smog and illegal encroachments; it once resonated the essence of British imperial charm, pulsating with the vibrant energy that only a city of consequence can offer.

Delhi’s air pollution is now a global embarrassment. The World Air Quality Report 2023 by IQAir ranked Delhi as the ‘Most Polluted Capital City’ in the world for the fourth consecutive year. The city’s AQI routinely breaches hazardous limits, causing respiratory diseases. Arvind Kumar at Medanta Hospital says, “Living in Delhi is like smoking multiple cigarettes a day. Every child born here is a smoker by default.”

Vehicular emissions, construction dust, and industrial and agricultural pollutants have created an unbreathable cocktail. Stubble-burning in neighbouring states adds a toxic seasonal layer. Year after year, despite the courts cracking the whip and policies being announced, the air remains a deadly grey fog.

Filth is another of Delhi’s unwanted companions. Over 11,000 metric tonnes of waste are generated daily, with landfills at Burari, Ghazipur and Okhla towering over the city—telling sculptures portraying the grotesque pyramids of administrative failure. According to a NITI Aayog report: “80 per cent of Delhi’s waste remains unsorted and landfills exceed capacity by 300 per cent.” The result is overflowing garbage, pest infestations and frequent fires that release carcinogenic fumes into the air.

Showcasing The Fake

On to Delhi’s greatest hypocrisy, the alarming practice of dual reality. On the one hand, we have a meticulously-planned and maintained Delhi, such as the Lutyens’ Zone—pristine, green, and sanitized—reserved for diplomats, bureaucrats and visiting dignitaries. Hidden away is the real Delhi—chaotic, foul-smelling and perennially-clogged with traffic, runaway sewage and ever-present despair.

Come any dignitary and India’s Capital undergoes an elaborate cover-up operation. Slums are walled off, roads scrubbed, and the air miraculously cleared for the VIP convoy. It is a perfect example of our obsession with make-up over medicine. The moment the dignitary departs, filth and disorder reclaim their throne. The disparity between these neglected areas and the sanitised corridors of Lutyens’ Delhi is stark, almost dystopian.

It is poetic too, in a macabre way, that a city that once symbolized imperialistic and political dominance now suffocates because of political inertia. We are all privy to the grand promises made before every election cycle. Yet, come winter, millions of Delhiites brace themselves for a season of masked breaths and burning throats.

Delhi stands at a crossroads. The past has been a story of magnificent rise and tragic fall. It can either reclaim its lost glory or continue its descent into an unliveable mess. The new government has a mandate. It also has no and cannot have any excuses. The people are watching. This is make-up time—literally. But will it be real transformation or just another cosmetic fix? If the former, we will all revisit my childhood city of yore; if the latter, Delhi will remain a pale, dying artifice of a once-glorious existence.

Delhi’s story is not finished. A city that has withstood global invasions, political coups and military upheavals can reclaim its lost glory. But time is running out. The next few years will determine whether Delhi remains a decaying relic or rises again as a Capital worthy of its history. The question is—who will pick up the brush to paint the future?

The writer is a veteran journalist and communications specialist. He can be reached on narayanrajeev2006@gmail.com. Views expressed are personal