'Maintenance agency doing a shoddy job'

GURGAON: Residents of Sushant Lok II and III allege that despite paying heavy maintenance charges, the private maintenance agency has overlooked the upkeep of the area's facilities. Poor condition of roads and street lights and improper disposal of garbage are causing a lot of problems for the people. After April 2011, the maintenance charge per square yard was increased from Rs 1.00 to Rs 2.50.
Situated next to the market of HUDA sector 56, the area houses 2,500 families and contains nearly 15 parks.
Residents allege that the poor condition of roads and street lights make it unsafe for them to drive during the night. Even the presence of one guard per block does not guarantee the safety of the residents since many cases of robbery have been committed in broad daylight. Another factor compelling the residents to stay indoors are rogue stray animals. A resident was badly bitten by pigs recently and had to be kept under treatment for a couple of days.
"Commuting on the road after sundown is a huge risk. The private agency has been very negligent regarding the facilities. Despite having approached them on a regular basis, there has been no response from them," said Varun Gupta, a resident.
Though garbage is picked up on a regular basis, the sweepers dump it in a corner rather than disposing it in the designated place. The blocked sewage drains are another major problem of the area.
"We purchased houses in the area thinking that life here would be easier than in the HUDA sectors. We have now realized that the authorities always show a rosy picture in the beginning while the ground reality is the exact opposite," said YK Srivastava, a resident.