Benchmark Development

 

 

Long walks in Ahmedabad have become a comfortable proposition, courtesy parliamen-tarians, legislators and municipal councillors. Benches have filled nearly every nook and corner of Gujarat’s economic nerve centre – symbols of development in a city which was once known as the Manchester of India.

As per information obtained under the “Right to Information Act”, con-struction of benches has emerged as the frontrunner among development activities undertaken by public repres-entatives in Ahmedabad. As per the factsheet, each of them sanctioned benches worth at least one lakh rupees every year. That means every year Ahmedabad city gets benches worth Rs one crore. One can make out the new benches. It is not the new paint or the design that sets them apart but rather the “Vande Mataram” carved on them. Every ward has at least 8 to 10 benches. Elders say unanimously, “15 years back, there used to be hardly one or two. Now our area is swamped by benches.”

Bharatsinh is an RTI activist. He lives in Naroda Muthiya in the suburbs. He had asked for information under RTI about the development projects sanctioned by MPs, MLAs and municipal councillors from 2005 to 2009. The factsheet prov-ided by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was lengthy. It said an asphalt road was built in Madhuvan Society, where Bharatsinh lives. However, no work ever took place in the society. There is no road. It further said that in one year alone (2008-09), benches worth Rs 4,66,140 were set up in his ward by councillors including the Deputy Mayor of AMC. Bharatsinh started to search for benches in his area. He found the benches but they were not put where the factsheet claimed they were. A shocked Bharatsinh asked for information on development projects carried out in the whole city by people representatives. AMC provided him a list of development works done in only nine wards out of 43. The list claimed that during 2005-2009, benches worth Rs 1,08,00,000 were set up in these wards. One can only imagine what was the amount spent on setting up benches throughout the city.

Bharatsinh says, “As citizens, we pay our taxes every year but nothing is done to develop our area. So on October 26, 2009, I used RTI and asked for information on works done and budget of corporators. After 25 days, I got the information. The list contained projects which were never implemented. I felt that this business of setting up benches in the name of development was a matter of huge fraud. I complained to our local councillor only to be told that since this held true for the entire city, I was only wasting my time trying to investigate it.” Immediately thereafter, Bharatsinh applied for information on works done in all wards of Ahmedabad city. As per the information he received, during 2005-2009, people’s representatives allotted Rs five crore to install benches. Bharatsinh raises a pertinent question: “Do our leaders think putting benches worth Rs five crore is synonymous with development?” He has complained to the vigilance department of AMC asking them to investigate the matter.

Ever since BJP won the AMC polls, the number of benches has only increased. TSI contacted businessmen associated with manufacturing and marketing benches in the city. A normal RCC bench costs Rs 1,100 but it can go down to Rs 900-950 if there are bulk orders. A China mosaic bench costs Rs 1,950 which includes transportation and labour.

“If one were to assume that half of the benches were RCC ones and half China mosaic, Rs five crore fetches more than 37,000 new benches,” an NGO worker, who did not want to be named, said. He continued, “Since there were already some benches prior to 2005, it is safe to presume that the city has 40,000 benches which seat 1,60,000 people. When you draw the number against the population of Ahmedabad city which is 40 Lakh, it is way higher than the national average or that in metro or non-metro cities.”

RCC benches are now a passe. Public representatives are opting for China mosaic, iron or steel benches. Nowadays, wherever a new park is being inaugurated, one can find attractive benches with a plaque bearing the name of the local corporator. Many benches lie broken or partially damaged. They have become homes for stray dogs. Some benches have been converted into garbage dumps.

In Bhaipura ward, that falls in chief minister Narendra Modi’s Maninagar constituency, many benches have been installed right outside people’s houses. Some benches have come up in the middle of nowhere. Some benches have been converted into tea or cigarette shops. Other heavyweights are not to be left far behind. In 2008-09, Ranip, Jodhpur and Vastrapur wards which are parts of the constituency of Gandhinagar, MP and BJP stalwart L.K. Advani and Gujarat home minister Amit Shah saw benches coming up at a cost of Rs 12,77,960.