With councillors gone, civic response stalls: Residents left struggling amid broken roads and garbage for five months

JAIPUR: It has been five months since the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) board was dissolved, and for many residents, everyday life has become a struggle. Tasks that were once resolved with a quick word to a local councillor now require repeated visits to municipal offices, often with no result.Across the city, from the narrow lanes of the Walled City to areas like Sanganer and Mansarovar, the situation appears largely the same. Broken roads, overflowing garbage turning into open dumping spots, and sewage lines left unattended have become a common sight.The Ramganj area inside the Walled City presents a particularly grim picture. In localities such as Hida Ki Mori, Khalsa Colony and Shankar Colony, residents have been living amid filth and damaged roads for the past three months. The roads were dug up for an underground pipeline project by PHED, after which JMC was supposed to carry out repairs. However, the work remains incomplete to this day. Local resident Taufiq Qureshi says, “We consider it our right to raise these issues. I personally went to the Kishanpole zone office and lodged a complaint about the road and the garbage dumping, but no official has visited the area yet.”Another resident, Saleem Khan, expresses his frustration: “When councillors were there, even if work was delayed, we were assured it would eventually be done. Now, for the past five months, there isn’t even anyone to give us that assurance.”Former councillor Mohammad Zakariya highlights the administrative disconnect, saying, “We no longer have any authority. Even when we approach officials on behalf of residents, they do not listen. The Walled City is densely populated and requires constant attention, especially in sanitation, but that is where the system is failing the most.”He further adds that frequent transfers of sanitation workers have worsened the situation. “Earlier, workers posted here for years understood the area and managed waste efficiently. Now, new staff neither know the locality nor respond effectively.”Zakariya wrote to the Kishanpole zone on March 25 regarding the issue, but instead of resolving it, four more sanitation workers were transferred on March 27, further disrupting the system.A similar situation prevails in areas like Ramganj Modh and Jal Mahal. In some places, sewage lines have been opened but not properly cleaned or restored. Local resident Raunak Pandey says, “The sewage was opened and then simply covered without proper cleaning. During the monsoon, the entire lane will be flooded.”Former councillor Akhtar Hussain also points to the larger issue, stating, “Since the councillors’ tenure ended, all work has come to a halt. There is no proper cleaning in colonies. In areas like Ramgarh Modh and Jal Mahal, development work has also been affected due to political reasons. Garbage and drainage issues remain unresolved.”Outside the Walled City, areas such as Sanganer, Malviya Nagar, Mansarovar and Vaishali Nagar are facing even more severe problems. Sewage water can be seen flowing onto roads, turning streets into pools of dirty water. With the monsoon approaching, the situation is likely to worsen further.At a time when the city claims top rankings in cleanliness surveys, the ground reality paints a very different picture.Meanwhile, JMC Commissioner Om Kasera said, “We are monitoring the situation. The work will be completed gradually.”For residents, however, this “gradual” progress has already turned into a prolonged wait, one that they continue to endure amid broken infrastructure, foul smell and unanswered complaints.