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NEW DELHI: Just a few metres away from the redeveloped Kartavya Path (earlier known as Rajpath) – a major component of the Central Vista project – sections of pavements lie broken, a canal that was refurbished has stagnant water, while several vehicles are stationed in a parking lot that has come up unauthorisedly. After the care bestowed upon the canal next to Kartavya Path police post, as part of the Kartavya Path project, which had made it look beautiful, it is now a portrait of bureaucratic apathy, with the water turning thick green with moss and algae due to lack of maintenance for weeks. These neglected patches are not tucked away in some forgotten corner. Every day, hundreds of govt employees, including senior officials from nearby buildings that house ministries, go past the stretch during their post-lunch walk. Yet, few appear to have raised the issue or alerted the agencies to set things right. TOI visited the sites near Kartavya Path on Thursday, only to find that pavement stretches along the Rafi Marg near Krishi Bhawan have remained damaged, posing risks to pedestrians and marring the aesthetics of one of Delhi’s most prominent public spaces. The entire area falls under the jurisdiction of the housing and urban affairs ministry. When Kartavya Path was inaugurated, it had announced the installation of 60 aerators in canals to prevent stagnation and ensure clean oxygenated water. These systems were expected to keep the water clear and flowing, eliminating any chance of buildup of moss or algae. When contacted, ministry sources on Monday said 10 refurnished canals adjacent to Kartavya Path are being regularly cleaned by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). They added that CPWD had faced difficulty at only one canal as the cables connecting three aerators needed repairs. “The aerator cables that are not functioning are likely to be repaired in the next two days. Meanwhile, the canal is being cleaned manually,” one of them said. Another location between the canal (behind the police post) and Rail Bhawan has become a parking lot for dozens of vehicles. Sources said the area was used for some works during the construction of the new Parliament complex. But more than two years after the completion of the Parliament building, the area is yet to be restored. On the condition of footpaths on Rafi Marg along Krishi Bhawan and Vayu Bhawan, sources said these had to be dismantled to lay new underground electric cables for electric substations, to supply power to new Central Vista buildings. The work has been completed, and restoration of footpaths and the cleaning of debris will be done by Nov 13. The footpaths will be restored on a priority basis by Nov 25, they said. “This is another example of how maintenance gets less attention than new construction and development projects. For months now, the green areas and landscape near Krishi Bhawan have been neglected, and these are spruced up only ahead of Republic Day,” said an official working at Krishi Bhawan.
