One disturbing and condemnable aberration in our democratic system is that of the elected Government coming under influence and pressure of a small but potently influential group of people with vested interest. This, to say the least, is negation of democracy. Democracy means the rule of demos or people at large and not of a handful of them who have nothing but self-aggrandizement to serve. The question is this: is this Government of the people in general or of groups with vested interest? We seek an answer to this question. Why should the development of the State in various sectors remain hostage to a group of people with vested interests? And if it is not able to wriggle out of vicious influential circles, it has no prospect to continue to be in the seat of power and should quit as soon as possible.
The project of constructing a flyover from Amphala Chowk over B.C. Road up to Shakuntla Chowk in the main city was planned way back in 2007 with a view to ease the growing traffic congestion on the High Way. The project was estimated to cost 18 crore rupees. Vehicular traffic in the city has increased manifold and this has created numerous bottlenecks hindering free flow of traffic. Apart from flyovers that have come up in recent past, traffic congestion continues at some crucial spots which need to be eased. The Government initiated the process of survey and did excellent job of inviting expert opinion from a recognized organization in the country, namely RITES. The expert opinion was that the road between Amphala Chowk and Shakuntla Chowk should be widened and made six lane before the construction of the proposed flyover was taken in hand. As we are aware, there are many prestigious showrooms, commercial and residential structures falling within the ambit of six-lanning of the road under consideration. Naturally, the Government has to acquire the space right and left to make the road of proper width. The owners of these commercial and residential sites, finding that their properties would be acquired, have used their strong influence and sabotaged the entire project. The government has stalled it under pressure while other projects like the flyover from Bikram Chowk to Convent School will begin its work in March. The Amphala-Shakuntala flyover project also envisaged widening of the Janipur road from Ambphalla to New Plot as this, too, is a very congested part of Janipur road. With the stalling of Amphala flyover, the auxiliary projects, too, have been shelved. The fact is that these projects were initiated by Ghulam Nabi Azad when he was the Chief Minister. After he relinquished office, this project has been shelved just because the handful of persons whose properties are involved exercise tremendous influence and pressure on the Government not to go ahead with the project.
A democratic Government should have the strength and conviction of resisting influence and pressure from a small group of vested interest when the interests of the larger society are at stake. We have the Land Acquisition Act and the Government would make reasonable compensation once it decides to acquire the land howsoever commercially lucrative to the owners. The Government has to keep in mind that since the process of development is an unending phenomenon, it will always require acquiring prestigious as well as non-prestigious lands and buildings when larger interests of the people are to be served. If it succumbs before pressures then no development will take place and that would be negation of democratic dispensation. This was the reason why our policy planners introduced the Land Acquisition Act which is being amended from time to time to give it sharper teeth. Moreover, under law, a party feeling that it has not been done justice on account of the amount of compensation; it can approach the court of law. Hundreds of such cases have been there and justice was done. Why should there be a negative attitude to the case of the flyover under discussion. Delaying or deferring this or other developmental activity will prove damaging to the ruling parties in coming assembly elections. There are other cases also in which construction has been arrested owing to influence from vested interests. The mess at Jewel Chowk and the most congested stretch from Jewel Chowk to Canal need immediate attention and remodeling to clear major traffic bottlenecks in the town.
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