A decade after Faridabad was included in the Smart City initiative, the ground reality in its surrounding rural areas presents a starkly different picture. The main thoroughfare connecting Sotai village to Bahbalpur village has been in a severe state of disrepair for several years. This route is not merely a local connection between two points; it extends through Fatehpur Billoch to Palwal, serving as the primary travel corridor for residents across more than 20 villages. With repair work incomplete and crushed stones scattering across the stretch, daily commuters face continuous hazards.
Two Years of Unfinished Roadwork and Loose Gravel
Akash Tewatia, a resident of Sotai village, explained that local living conditions have deteriorated sharply ever since the village was brought under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation. According to Akash Tewatia, crushed gravel was dumped on the road about two years ago to begin construction, but the project was abruptly abandoned. Over time, the laid gravel has loosened and spread across the path. Motorcyclists frequently skid on the loose stones and sustain injuries, leading many commuters to avoid using this primary route altogether.
Collapsing Sanitation and Overflowing Village Ponds
Infrastructural neglect in the region extends beyond damaged roads. Drainage and basic sanitation in Sotai and neighboring areas have also reached a critical point. The village pond (johad) is filled to capacity with dirty water and regularly overflows onto nearby pathways. Sandeep Kumar, another local resident, pointed out that no municipal sanitation workers are deployed to clean the village drains. The lack of maintenance has caused persistent foul odors and stagnant water accumulation. Sandeep Kumar noted that a city cannot truly become a smart city if its constituent villages are deprived of fundamental amenities.
Impact of Municipal Merger and Administrative Shift
Farmer leader Bablu Hooda attributed the ongoing negligence to administrative restructuring and political friction. He highlighted that in 2022, during the tenure of then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, 24 villages were forcibly merged into the Faridabad Municipal Corporation. Residents recall that local development projects moved smoothly when traditional village panchayats and sarpanches managed local affairs. Since the merger, municipal councillors and officials have reportedly paid little attention to ground-level problems.
Political Deadlock Over Constituency Development Grants
The affected villages fall within the Prithla assembly constituency, currently represented by Congress MLA Raghubir Singh Tewatia. Farmer leader Bablu Hooda stated that the MLA, who won his seat with approximately 70,000 votes, raised the issue of rural road connectivity in the state assembly. While each legislator is typically entitled to an annual development fund of 1 crore rupees, allegations have surfaced that the Saini administration has withheld grants from the opposition MLA for three consecutive years. Without access to these funds, essential public works in the constituency remain stalled.
Gap Between Rural Reality and National Growth Slogans
Faridabad joined the Smart City list back in 2014, while national discussions frequently focus on visions like 2047 Viksit Bharat and inclusive development slogans. Local leaders reference former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh's belief that true national progress originates in rural India, where many of the nation's soldiers and sports achievers are raised. Despite these ideals, the continued neglect of a key road linking 20 villages underscores the growing gap between policy commitments and rural infrastructure.
