The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi’s folly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Delhi’s folly

The Delhi Chief Minister should be held responsible for the failure of the Bus Rapid Transit corridor that has caused massive traffic jams, fatalities and drainage of the taxpayer’s hard-earned money.

The project was kept on though the Capital’s citizens kept raising doubts over its implementation throughout its construction period. Any claims now about an “improvement” in the situation ring false: people have realised that the route is unusable.

It is no secret that such projects are undertaken at colossal cost only to benefit vested interests and contractors.

The same happened in Chandni Chowk where pillars were erected at considerable cost to divert slow and fast-moving traffic without caring for in-between obstructions like BSES power sub-stations. Sure enough the pillars had to be uprooted because of practical difficulties.

A CBI inquiry into the BRT corridor project would expose the corrupt elements behind it. Such blatant wastage of public funds by the official “decision makers” should be treated as a criminal offence.

Madhu Agarwal,

1775, Kucha Lattushah, Dariba, Chandni Chowk, Delhi – 110 006.

Retired hurt

I retired from the ESI Corporation as Deputy Director in August 1992. My wife and I are entitled to avail of medical facilities under the ESI Pensioners’ Medical Scheme (to which I contribute) for in-patient treatment from recognised private hospitals and later claim reimbursement from the Corporation. My wife was hospitalised under an emergency situation in an ESI-approved private hospital in New Delhi from September 23, 2006, to October 4, 2006. On October 16, 2006, I applied for reimbursement submitting all the required original documents including the emergency certificate.

Eighteen long months have gone by but I have not got the reimbursement yet.

I have approached several officers in the office of the Director (Medical) Delhi and ESI Corporation (Headquarters) innumerable times requesting for examination of my claim and payment without any further delay, but in vain. The tug of correspondence between the two offices is not over yet and my claim is still in the process of examination.

This is my lot after having served the organisation for 40 long years. Now in the evening of my life I appeal to the authorities to make immediate payment of my claim.

C. R. Sampath,

A-3/273, First Floor, Janakpuri, New Delhi – 110 058.

Postal pangs

Though the Government says that it is trying to modernise the postal system, the service still fails to deliver. A registered letter sent from Kashmir took two months to reach Delhi while another letter, with important documents, sent to Dubai came back from Oman within 20 days! It was sent again on December 14, 2007, from the Darya Ganj post office in Delhi but it is yet to reach its destination.

Even a complaint lodged at the post office has yielded no response. Is someone listening?

Manager, Islamic Education Board of India, 4414/7 Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi - 110 002.

MTNL acts

With reference to Anil Mathur’s complaint in these columns on February 18 about his MTNL broadband connection, we would like to inform that the needful has been done and Mr. Mathur has been given the necessary rebate on April 21.

J. P. Sharma,

Public Relations Officer (Media), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, First Floor, Eastern Court, Janpath, New Delhi – 110 001.

Thanks, MTNL….

With reference to my letter in these columns this past Monday about non-receipt of electronic payment confirmation slip from MTNL, I am happy to report now that MTNL responded immediately to my complaint and I received my online confirmation slip on April 23.

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to MTNL.

M. Vasudevan,

12/187, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi - 110 003.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi