Delhi is often perceived as a modern urban hub. However, the national capital houses 340 villages that continue to struggle for basic civic amenities in the midst of the election frenzy. Notable villages include Palam, Karala, Mundka, Narela, Mehrauli, and Dhansa, among others.
The major contenders in the upcoming polls—the ruling AAP, the principal opposition BJP, and the Congress—are vying for votes with promises of beneficiary schemes, often referred to as “freebies” in popular culture. Yet, none of these parties are adequately addressing the concerns of these semi-rural, semi-urban settlements.
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These villages cannot be classified as urban due to the absence of essential infrastructure, such as proper roads, sewer lines, and other civic facilities. Nor can they be categorized as rural, given their proximity to urban areas. Politically, these villages hold significant influence, impacting around 30 out of the 70 assembly constituencies.
Highlighting the villagers’ plight, Choudhary Surender Solanki, president of Palam 360 Khap, stated: “We organized a panchayat and decided to send written communications to all three parties, urging them to include rural issues in their manifestos. If political parties fail to address our demands, we will press the NOTA button to express our dissatisfaction.”
For the past two years, villagers have been raising their demands through Mahapanchayats, yet their issues remain unresolved. “The mayor deceived us by announcing the repeal of house tax in 2023, but the decision has not been officially notified,” Choudhary added.
“We have appealed to both the BJP and Congress to clarify their positions on these issues. Before voting, we will hold another panchayat to decide which party to support,” he said.
