Mukesh Sharma's tenure fruitful

NEW DELHI: ‘‘I’ve observed a lot of development since I shifted to Vikaspuri five years ago. The roads and parks have improved and new market places have come up with adequate parking spaces,’’ said S K Dutta, former director of Central Bureau of Investigation.
Vikaspuri comes under Hastsal, a key constituency in Outer Delhi that comprises a rural-urban population.The sitting MLA, Mukesh Sharma, who has often been in the news for hijacking most of the development projects and dotting the area with foundation stones, has in fact done a virtual face-lift of the area.
The changes and development projects that Sharma has undertaken include 22 school buildings, 16 community halls, 15 chaupals, three multigyms, a senior citizen recreation centre, an art and culture centre under prog-ress and an employment exchange for local youth.
The two-time MLA claimed that his work would speak for itself on December 4, the day of counting. Last time, he defeated his BJP rival Naresh Tyagi by about 24,000 votes. This time too, Tyagi is the potetial BJP candidate from Hastsal. ‘‘I’ll ensure that my rival loses the deposit,’’ Sharma said.
Residents said it could be possible. Pradhan of Bindapur DDA flats in Dwarka, Satish Pathania, said: ‘‘Analysing Sharma’s work in the last five years, our area which is home to 3,200 flats, today has a coffee home, two government schools, a community hall and a multi-gymnasium. Roads have improved, so has the condition of power and water,’’ Pathania said.
However, he said there is room for improving sanitation services and streetlighting in the area.
‘‘Unauthorised colonies surround our flats and lack of a proper se-wage facility there is blocking our sewage. It needs to be cleared soon,’’ he said.
Even supporters of rival BJP are forced to admit that Sharma has managed to hijack a large number of development projects to his own constituency. ‘‘I’m a BJP supporter, but that does not stop me from recognising the development work done by him in the area,’’ said J P Malhotra of Vikaspuri MIG flats.
DU professor Ramdarsh Mishra, who lives in Vani Vihar, said the MLA is responsive, particularly for elderly and teaching community. ‘‘Being a son of a teacher himself, Sharma hold us in high regard and shows keenness for cultural projects, something unique among politicians,’’ he said.
Mishra was referring to the district art and culture centre, under construction in Vikaspuri. He said the residents have little to complain about water and power problems in the last two years.
Sharma said: ‘‘With the installation of 64 transformers in the area, the power situation has improved. Even the unauthorised colonies have been electrified. Filtered water connection has been provided in Vikaspuri and other apartments in the area. The roads, including those in rural areas, have been newly carpetted.’’
But he admitted that there are still some unfinished tasks which include improvement in sanitation services, sewage system, mostly in rural and unauthorised colonies and resolving the water problems in a few pockets in Dwarka and Mohan Garden. He regrets that few public-utility projects have been pending for a long time due to multiplicity of authorities involved.
‘‘A CGHS dispensary and a post office in Vikaspuri, a 200-bed hospital in Hastsal are few of them,’’ he said.