DQW EXCLUSIVE: All Nehru Place associations call for Jan 24 bandh

It seems that IT associations too are, following in Anna Hazare's footsteps. All Nehru Place associations have decided to launch a protest movement to bring the attention of Delhi Police and DDA towards the neglected maintenance like cleanliness, security, and unauthorized encroachment of the Nehru Place Plaza and the common area. All four Nehru Place based associations have unanimously decided to come forward and support the 'Nehru Place Bachao' Program, (earlier called as Nehru Place Chamkao), a peaceful protest and Bandh of all the traders in Nehru Place on January 24, 2012.

Additionally, all associations have formed a steering committee, which will be driving this initiative. The steering committee was formed on December 12, 2011. This committee has been formed with 2-3 members of Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA), All Delhi Computers Dealers Association, PCAIT and CMDA Delhi. Speaking to The DQ Week, V Krishnan, executive secretary, PCAIT said, "At the meeting, it was decided to have a special committee with representatives from all Nehru Place stakeholder associations, and this committee has been regularly conducting meetings. And now it has decided to organize a peaceful protest and bandh on January 24, 2012. All efforts are being taken by this committee members to make this bandh a success so that the concerned authorities are awakened to address the security and cleanliness problems of Nehru Place."

According to Mahinder Aggarwal, president, ADCTA, "Nehru Place commercial market lacks cleanliness, encroachment and security issue, ineffective DDA, etc, which have driven all the stakeholders of Nehru Place to evolve a plan of action on top priority for 'Nehru Place Bachao.' All our association members will be fully supporting this cause."

The other issue which Nehru Place market is crippled with is fire hazard. The buildings of Nehru Place have no provisions to exit if a fire broke out, and even the fire brigade can not enter because of congestion of traders and people in the plaza and common area. Besides all, encroachments of unauthorized hawkers is another pain area, which is creating lots of problems for the dealers. Saket Kapur, secretary, PCAIT added, "Some traders of Nehru Place are allowing unauthorized hawkers to sit in front of their shops, adding to the existing congestion."

He also pointed out that the number of hawkers present in the Nehru Place was many times more than what the Supreme Court and High Court permitted DDA to allow as per their stay order. Punnet Singhal, president, CMDA Delhi said, "We have also extended our support to this cause. Some of our association members are located in this area and we want them to take part in this bandh and fight for basic amenities." The committee's immediate priority would be to spread awareness about the immediate need for 'Nehru Place Bachao' among all the occupants of Nehru Place including the staff working in various shops and offices, and unite them to organize a peaceful protest.

The associations strongly advised that people should not be running after DDA or other government officials, rather they should come running to us. Moreover, the association is planning to file an RTI application to DDA to get all the relevant details about the number of hawkers and their names, who were granted stay by the courts and any other relevant information. The main agenda of the meeting will be to decide on what urgent steps to take to stop further deterioration of Nehru Place and bring it to the international standards.