With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) today, a massive beautification and security drive has been launched across Ulwe and adjoining areas. From road resurfacing and illegal encroachment demolitions to round-the-clock security checks by the Central Industrial Security Force, every department was in overdrive.
On Saturday, dambar work (asphalt resurfacing) was carried out near the NMIA entrance gate and adjoining service roads. A worker even mentioned that since Modi is coming, everything has to look clean and perfect. They were instructed to ensure that there were no potholes or dust near the VIP route.
This raises an important question: why should these drives happen only during high-profile visits? Are taxpayers not equal stakeholders in the city and country? Their lives are as valuable as any others and deserve to be treated on par.
It is shocking to see that workers were told to fix potholes only on VIP roads. Does this imply that non-VIPs are free to navigate pothole-ridden streets? Why is such urgency and speed not maintained year-round for the very people who elect these leaders into power?
We urge our leaders themselves to ask these uncomfortable questions and seek meaningful answers. It is their responsibility to question those in charge of civic work about why improvements are made only for VIPs and not for the general public.
Feigning ignorance, citing busy schedules, or delegating the issue to lower officials is no longer acceptable. If the high and mighty raise their voices for consistent civic improvements, real change will follow.
When we talk about ground-level transformation, this is literally ground level. If issues like potholes and infrastructure maintenance are brought to the attention of those responsible during ribbon-cutting events—and if consistent action is demanded—we will see a city built for the people, who are truly the first among equals: the citizens.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/pothole-free-roads-are-for-everyone-not-just-vips-23597681