Delhi Underground

My Metro,my wish

After the inauguration of the of the much-delayed Vaishali Metro corridor,both UP and Delhi governments are vying for credit. While Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the name ‘Delhi Metro’ is self-explanatory,the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) claimed it to be their gift to the people of Ghaziabad. The battle of words started after the Delhi Metro decided to open the line to public soon after Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety’s approval. The corridor was opened on July 14,instead of July 16 when UP Chief Minister Mayawati had said she would be available to inaugurate the route. The GDA said the decision was arbitrary and no one from the DMRC had consulted. However,the agency soon mellowed and reiterated its claim to the line.

Mainly Chaotic Group

Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) chaired the first house meeting recently,but the formal meeting soon turned chaotic. No one could clearly put their points across and not a single decision was taken. There was also a liberal use of ‘unparliamentary’ language. All this as MCG officials looked on.

Between rock and a hard place

The New Delhi Municipal Council is stuck between two extreme as it tries to hand out vending licences. The Delhi Police want the process to stop owing to security concerns,while other activists are raising slogans regarding the right to livelihood of the vendors. The council had recently held a draw of lots to allot 386 vendors,of the 3,700 whose applications had been verified,sites within its limits. Now,it is looking for safe ways to allot locations to the remaining 3,314 vendors. Sources said the rest of the vendors may get a place at weekly markets within NDMC limits,but there is no confirmation from the agency yet.

Hearing held up by reading

As if the 2G case was not complex enough,the 80,000-odd pages of chargesheet filed by the CBI has added to the complications. The chargesheet was filed almost three months ago and day-to-day hearings in the case have been on. But every time anyone talks of any missed point or documents the accused and their lawyers are forced to sift through the lengthy records,eating up valuable time. The argument on charges is yet to begin,despite the Supreme Court order to complete the trial soon. The sulking accused have blamed the delay on the CBI for the sheer volume of documents.

Follow the leader

MCD Mayor and BJP leader Rajni Abbi is trying to imitate Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s style of connecting to middle-class households. Dikshit has made it a practice to address the Delhiites through radio for every event,be it bomb blasts or Board exams. Abbi,too,is trying to tap into the medium of communication. Beginning from a message on cleanliness,Abbi has launched a series of messages on radio. The Mayor,in her messages,sounds serious,yet calm — almost similar to Dikshit’s grandmother style.

More controversy at St Stephen’s?

Just as people thought the series of controversies surrounding St Stephen’s had come to an end,a new group emerged this weekend to wash some dirty linen in public. A new alumni association has been registered by a group of seven people,including some who have an axe to grind with Principal Valson Thampu. Though those responsible for the new body insist theirs is not a rebel group,they are not very convincing in their explanation for why they had to form a new body even as the college is in the process of doing so. According to sources,a member of the faculty too worked behind the scenes for the organisation.