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Okhla Indl. Area in Shambles - Entreprenuers Cry Foul
Jan 2009
The Okhla industrial area is one stark example of how our industrial areas are managed. In actual practice 'development' is not the politically correct term for Okhla. This is in sharp contrast to the fact that the area has been one of the front runners of industrialization in the country since Independence. Cut to 2008, these areas bear the miserable look of orphans now.
In our country, once industrial units are set up with great fanfare, the politicians take over the areas for encroachers to settle down. Vote banks are strengthened when these encroachers are given water, electricity connections and even voter identity cards. Thus while the industrial units have no votes, a chunk of votes come from the encroachers who have been made legitimate voters from the area.
The battery of authorities-the municipality, the development authority, the industrial authority, the police, the electricity department, the water department, with no co-ordination , eventually become a pain in the neck for thousands of industrial houses.
The MCD collection accrued from the huge property area in this hub runs into millions. The industrial units who are enriching the exchequer have neither water nor power to run their units. This state of affairs is nobody's concern. Neither does it make good and relevant news for any of our so called business channels or business magazines. The authorities fail to explain this state of affairs. However the officials are mired in the corrupt practices of the local political mafia.
There is an impending need to set up an independent 'Industrial Areas Authority' which is answerable and affords single-window facility to our industries who are relentlessly engaged in their contribution to the national growth.
To the visitors of the Okhla, the industrial area looks more like a JJ Cluster.
Even the Election Department trusted with the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections has chosen to shut its eyes on this naked truth.
About a year ago, Udesh Babal, President of the Industrial Association had the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Delhi, Madam Arti Mehra. He put forward before her a case for the development of Okhla, given the fact that Okhla houses more than 3000 units employing over 2.5 lakh units. The Mayor, it is learnt, visited Germany and Italy, to study plans and patterns to give the capital a facelift. Mrs. Mehra even visited Bangalore to study the Garbage-on-wheels project, but she has done nothing to get the garbage mess of the city cleared up.
However, in the garbage of hopelessness, there's a silver lining. The Delhi Development Authority has taken a positive step to connect Sarita Vihar with Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I and Phase II, Kalindi-kunj, Noida and Faridabad.
Added to this the Honourable High Court has once again given a call to shut down illegal dhabas and unauthorized hawkers. Also, encroachments on public land have to be removed to make a clean and healthy environment in all the areas. However, as for now it is only to be hoped that the High Court orders are implemented. The industrialists out there are waiting for Okhla to wear a true industrial look.
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