Shahdara’s lively marketplaces, savory streets, and dilapidated infrastructure are all tainted by crime
Nestled along the banks of the Yamuna River, Shahdara is one of Delhi’s oldest enclaves and is well-known for its mouthwatering street cuisine and vibrant marketplaces full of treasures. Though Shahdara has a rich history, it is nevertheless bound by urban deterioration and neglect, which is typical of one of Delhi’s emerging districts.
Shahdara’s future was once brightly lit by the coming of the Delhi Metro, whose first station on the Red Line stood for advancement. But the ground reality presents a more dismal picture. In rainy season, chaotic streets—particularly those around the crowded Chhota Bazaar—become battlefields due to a severe lack of barriers and poor traffic control, putting people in continuous danger.
The environment is marred by unlawful structures and settlements, and the problems faced by the locals are made worse by aging infrastructure that cannot handle basic needs like water and sewage. The most pernicious aspect of all is perhaps the crime that seems to be spreading daily due to the area’s closeness to the border with Uttar Pradesh, which provides safe haven to a wide range of criminals who break the law with impunity.
The predicament of panhandlers, including young children, that lingers at Shahdara and Mansarovar Park Metro stations is a sad reminder of the socioeconomic ills that are festering there. As if that weren’t enough, the image of companies abusing children for labor in dangerous settings puts a pall over the neighborhood and necessitates immediate action.
The entire life of Shahdara is being choked by parking battles that erupt on the streets, made worse by deteriorating roads, litter-strewn paths, and choking pollution levels. Political tides fluctuate among this upheaval as legislators vie for control and often make empty promises of improvement.
“I’ve spent decades living in Shahdara. The quality of life has declined throughout time. Due to the encroachment of retailers and hawkers on the streets, we are unable to park our cars or stroll,” stated Himanshu Kumar, a 45-year-old businessman from Shahdara. This changing terrain is reflected in the person of Shahdara’s present political voice, Ram Niwas Goel, who is navigating the ship through difficult seas. But with elections approaching, Shahdara’s story is about to take a new turn, with familiar and unfamiliar individuals fighting for control of the city’s future.
With more than 1.8 lakh votes, the Shahdara assembly segment is a part of the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. To compete against Kuldeep Kumar of the AAP, the BJP has selected Harsh Malhotra.
The BJP has chosen Harsh Malhotra, the general secretary of the party’s Delhi branch and a former mayor of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, to challenge Kuldeep Kumar, the AAP’s former councillor from Kalyanpuri ward and MLA from the Kondli assembly sector, in the East Delhi constituency. BJP MP in office at the moment, Gautam Gambhir, is a former cricket player turned politician.
