Back-lane of plots, numbering C-14 to C-20, Mansarover Garden situated behind Asia’s largest furniture market-next only to Gonju in China-is slowly and steadily becoming a storage space for generators and open kitchen to prepare and serve food.

In the name of safety, a handful of people with vested interests have got the gates erected at the two ends of the back lane making this 15 feet wide (now 11 feet ) lane into private lane for their own use.

The Bharat Builders proprietor, who built Mansarover Garden colony must be cursing his luck in his grave that why he did not sell this piece of land to local resident’s use. He could have made a princely some of money by doing so and at least somebody would be the legitimate owner of the lane and it would not have been put to unauthorized use.

The show rooms have installed generators in the back-lane and this has now become dumping ground for construction debris and garbage. Not only this, people have skillfully constructed sheds and are using it to make and serve food.

This is in total violation of resolution no. 67 dated 25/05/2004 of municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) which forbids gates to be installed if it causes unreasonable restrictions on right of way/thoroughfare passing through colony for access to other areas. The gates are of the width such that emergency services i.e. fire brigade, police vehicle, ambulance and other emergency vehicles can not reach other parts of the colony without hinderance.

Despite repeated reminders to the concerned authority in MCD, no action has been taken. The public information officer i.e. S.E-I(WZ) after much persuasion through RTI applications(s) acknowledges the problem and promises to take appropriate action for larger public interest but unfortunately no action has been taken. The first appellate authority i.e. deputy commissionerof Delhi Police, West Zone has also confirmed the problem in his order but I think they are waiting for something more serious to happen.

One will not be surprised to know that local MLA and the councilor stay at a walking distance from the site and yet no action has been taken.

I think the government is justified in spending crores to beautify the pavements and street lights since that is the only way to hide what is happening at the back.

Somebody rightly said that the rules are meant to be broken. I hope somebody is listening.