The biggest dilemma before the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in Delhi, as the early leads suggest majority for the party, may be what to do with the ‘Sheesh Mahal’, the opulent official chief minister’s residence which former Aam Aadmi Party CM Arvind Kejriwal built. The residence became a talking point in the capital, even before it became an election issue as both the BJP and the Congress attacked Kejriwal for it. There will be a view in the BJP to keep it as a symbol of AAP’s anti-‘Aam Aadmi’ image.
On the policy wise, the women stands to gain Rs 2,500 every month, among the highest in the country along with Jharkhand, free education for the deserving right up to the postgraduation level, higher health insurance; Rs 21,000 for every pregnant woman, and subsidized LPG cylinders at Rs 500, property ownership to residents of 1,700 unauthorised colonies.
Apart from the freebies, what could really change for the Delhites is the shift in focus from the slums and illegal colonies where the AAP government had focussed during the last decade. The BJP government would bring focus back on building a ‘modern capital’, which was once the highlight of Sheila Dikshit’s 15 years tenure as Congress chief minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who shifted base to Delhi after decades as CM in Gujarat, may would like to develop Delhi as a showcase to the world. One of the biggest changes in the capital’s skyline has been the building of Bharat Mandapam by demolishing the Nehruvian era Pragati Maidan, and the construction of the new Parliament building apart from the under-construction central secretariat office complex.
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As the party is in power at the Centre, it controls other agencies like DDA, Delhi Police, NDMC, and now as the Delhi government comes under the same rule, it will be easier to carry out expansion projects catering to the demands of the burgeoning NCR region. What can one expect: more housing projects, better roads, and the cleaning up of garbage hills seen at most of the entry points to the capital.
The BJP will be under pressure to leave its imprint on Delhi, for which it had to wait for over 27 years. The party has already made clear that it will continue the schemes run by the AAP government.
What one may have to wait for is, will the changes be cosmetic or things change on the ground for the most populated metropolis, particularly its traffic snarls, bad air quality, clean Yamuna, or perhaps a new riverfront on the lines of Sabarmati, if the court permits?