UDH min admits roads in city are in a 'terrible state'

Jaipur: In the heart of Rajasthan, the Pink City finds itself submerged in widespread corruption that runs deeper than the knee-deep water flooding its streets. What was meant to be a welcome monsoon has instead become a stark revelation of administrative failure and unfulfilled promises.

The state govt's much-touted master drainage and sewerage plans, supposedly in development with leading private companies and RUDSICO (Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water, Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation), have proven to be little more than empty words. As citizens wade through waterlogged streets and navigate crumbling roads, the reality of poor infrastructure planning has become impossible to ignore.

When confronted with these issues Saturday, UDH minister Jhabar Singh Kharra's response was telling. His uncomfortable admission of the city's "terrible state" and vague promises of investigation only served to fuel public outrage.

Kharra said, "We admit that roads across the city are in a terrible state; the poor drainage situation has now come to light. We will initiate an investigation and try to determine who is responsible for this. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty."

The minister's inability to provide clear answers about the companies hired for the drainage project added another layer of suspicion to an already murky situation. Kharra only said, "I will have to check and get back on the process involved."

The opposition was quick to seize upon this administrative failure. Ex-CM Ashok Gehlot said, "The very first monsoon rain hasn't just damaged Jaipur's roads—it has also exposed the deep-rooted corruption within the BJP govt. Even in the Chief Minister's own constituency (Sanganer), roads built just three to six months ago crumbled after a single shower. One can only imagine the state of affairs in the rest of Rajasthan. Will the CM show the will to act against those responsible for such shoddy construction?"

Former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas expressed his anger, saying, "The monsoon has arrived but the govt is asleep. Roads are flooded, traffic has come to a halt; nothing was done in advance to prevent this."

Former leader of opposition in JMC, Giriraj Khandelwal, painted a picture of a city leadership more interested in photo opportunities and political networking. Khandelwal's description of one mayor engaging in yoga photo shoots while another courts Delhi's political elite, all while Jaipur's residents face hardships, captured the disconnect between the administration and the public they serve.