Min inspects broken roads, blames govt voted out 21 months back

Jaipur: Cabinet minister and Jhotwara MLA Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore conducted a surprise inspection of his constituency's roads around 12:45am Friday. The late-night visit lasted over two and a half hours and was aimed at assessing the damage caused by recent rains and reviewing development projects under the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA). During his inspection, Rathore blamed the previous Congress govt, accusing it of neglecting road maintenance and engaging in shoddy construction practices. "The previous govt merely applied a thin layer of bitumen over roads to deceive the public. Every year during the monsoon, the bitumen would wash away, and they kept demanding more funds without completing proper work. We will not indulge in such sham politics," Rathore said.The minister's late-night endeavour did not shield him from criticism, though. Locals raised questions about the current BJP govt and his failure to address the deteriorating road conditions despite being in power since Dec 2023. Residents labelled Rathore a "nominal MLA," accusing him of neglecting the area. Discontent among citizens was palpable, with posters criticising Rathore's alleged neglect appearing across Jhotwara during the monsoon season.Efforts to reach Rathore and his team for comments on the delay in repairs and the growing discontent among locals were met with silence, as repeated attempts by TOI went unanswered.During his inspection, Rathore visited other neighbourhoods, including Kalwada, Govindpura, Hathoj, Khatipura, Rangoli Garden, Maharana Pratap Road and Lalpura, directing officials to expedite repair and reconstruction efforts. He emphasized the need for comprehensive work, stating that road construction must be accompanied by necessary improvements to pipelines and sewerage systems to prevent future waterlogging.JDA Zone 7 XEN Nishant Khandelwal said, "Post-monsoon, road reconstruction orders have been issued and will be completed before Diwali, with work expected to finish by Oct 20."As the political blame game intensifies, the residents of Jhotwara remain skeptical, demanding tangible improvements rather than midnight inspections and political rhetoric.