‘Not single job done’: Parvesh Verma slams previous AAP govt over Delhi pollution

New Delhi: Delhi cabinet minister Parvesh Verma on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the previous AAP government, alleging that it failed to carry out even basic civic works over the past decade, leaving the present administration to address long-pending issues ranging from garbage mountains and broken roads to pollution and Yamuna cleaning.

Verma said that if even a single substantial work had been done earlier, the city would not be facing the current situation.

"They have not done one single job. We took charge on February 20, and since then we have been working continuously," he said, adding that road repairs were taken up before the monsoon to prevent waterlogging.

The minister claimed that over 20 lakh metric tonnes of waste have been removed, major waterlogging points, including Minto Bridge, were addressed, and festivals were conducted smoothly without disruption.

The present government had taken several steps to tackle pollution, stressing that air pollution was not a one-day issue but a chronic problem that required sustained action, he said at a press conference, even as a ban on the entry of non-Delhi private vehicles below BS-VI standards and the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule came into force.

Verma accused the previous dispensation of indulging in "drama" instead of governance and said the current leadership does not "run away on vipassana" during crises.

"If any problem arises, the chief minister, ministers and officials are on the ground to deal with it," he said, adding that the government was working in "mission mode" to combat pollution.

Hitting out at AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj for protesting over pollution, Verma said the protest only highlighted the failures of the previous 11 years. "Cracked roads and broken drains have not appeared in the last nine months. They are the result of years of neglect," he said.

The minister said the Public Works Department maintains around 1,400 km of roads and that nearly 65,000 potholes have been filled in the last nine months. He added that pending road works, flyovers and highway projects were being expedited, and a deadline had been set for completing the Barapullah flyover.

Verma said the government, in coordination with Delhi Traffic Police, has identified 62 traffic congestion hotspots where corrective measures such as U-turns, red-light markings and right turns have been redesigned to ease traffic flow. He also said water sprinklers and anti-smog guns were being installed on flyovers.

On waste management, the minister said no serious effort was made earlier to manage green waste. "We started work on six green waste processing facilities immediately after coming to power and will procure more mechanical road sweeping machines," he said.

Verma said the government aims to complete 90 per cent of Delhi's road repair work by the end of its two-year term, ensuring that potholes and broken stretches become a thing of the past. He added that large display boards would be installed on roads, mentioning the contractor's details, maintenance period and nodal officer contact numbers to ensure accountability.

On infrastructure, Verma said no new infrastructure was developed in the last 10 years and thanked the Centre for providing CRF funds for road construction.

He also outlined a roadmap for cleaning the Yamuna and preparing a comprehensive sewerage plan.