Ever since Modi came to power for the third time, there have been numerous issues, ranging from the NEET paper leaks to the leaks evident in the six-month-old inaugurated temple at Ayodhya, to cracks seen in highways inaugurated in haste by the Prime Minister. Blaming a prime minister for building collapses and flooded infrastructure might seem excessively partisan, but when that PM is Narendra Modi—who uses inaugurations and ribbon-cutting events to build his personality cult and project power around the country—it seems only fair for the sodden chickens to come home to roost. There is a long list of bridges collapsing in Bihar, highways showing cracks, and the collapse at Indira Gandhi International Airport taking the life of a sole breadwinner, among many other similar issues coming to the fore.
Delhi’s Mayhem
The unprecedented rainfall in Delhi is surely an act of God, but the leader who says he was sent to earth to do Parmatma’s bidding is finding it hard to escape being blamed for the death of a taxi driver from a collapsed canopy at Terminal 1-D of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The terminal, which is just 15 years old, was scheduled to be shut down in a month’s time, but the collapse suggests poor maintenance and perhaps faulty design too. After weeks of horrendously high temperatures, the record rainfall has thrown Delhi from the frying pan into the flood.
The weather station at Safdarjung reportedly recorded 228 mm of rain over the 24-hour period beginning at 8:30 am yesterday—this in a city that receives an average of around 80 mm of rain in all of June. In parts of the city, streets are waterlogged, many with knee-deep water, some chest-deep, and visuals show cars nearly submerged. It also led to the closure of the Pragati Maidan Tunnel, inaugurated a few years ago with splendid visuals showcasing Modi in splendid isolation, and caused severe water-logging along Mathura Road.
The Collapse of Shoddy Infrastructure- who is responsible?
Corruption and criminal negligence is responsible for the collapse of shoddy infrastructure falling like a deck of cards in the past ten years of the Modi government. The statement came from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on X. Thanks to the long list of incidents that included the Delhi T1D collapse, the Jabalpur Airport collapse, water-logged streets of Ayodhya, leakage in the newly constructed Ram temple at Ayodhya, cracks in Mumbai’s Atal Setu, the collapse of 13 bridges in the state of Bihar in 2023 and 2024, the submerging of the Pragati Maidan tunnel and the collapse of the Morbi bridge in Modi’s home state Gujarat are some stark instances which exposed the tall claims by Modi and BJP of creating the so called world-class infrastructure. On March 10th, when Modi inaugurated the Delhi airport T1, he called himself “doosri mitti ka insaan (made of a different stuff).” All this false bravado and rhetoric was only reserved for quickly indulging in ribbon-cutting ceremonies before elections.
Government and Corporate Response: Too late too little
Both Union civil aviation minister K. Rammohan Naidu and the GMR group were quick to point to the fact that a separate part of the terminal was inaugurated by Modi on March 10, while the collapsed canopy was erected in 2009. It takes a certain degree of shamelessness for the minister and the company which runs the airport to essentially tell us that those structures which Modi had personally inaugurated are still safe. We shouldn’t be surprised if an entire list of such ‘safe’ structures circulates on WhatsApp so that citizens can make an informed choice about where to go.
Speaking of the GMR group, it has funded the ruling BJP through an electoral trust. Since 2018, the company has been one of the top contributors to the Prudent Electoral Trust, which, in turn, has been directing the largest chunk of its funds to the BJP. Meanwhile, the focus of BJP MPs and leaders continues to be to defend anything and everything that Modi has done whenever it comes under attack. Right now, their priority is the Sengol, a monarchical symbol that Modi had installed in parliament last year.
Central Vista redevelopment project still a distant dream
The Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project remains mired in delays with no completion date in sight. Initially slated for March 2024, the Rs 13,500-crore project may now stretch beyond 2027, reports The Print. While the new Parliament building, V-P’s Enclave, and Central Vista Avenue are complete, the larger vision lags far behind. Stringent timelines set by the Centre in 2019 promised a revamped Central Vista Avenue and a Common Central Secretariat by March 2024. Yet, the project’s slow progress highlights significant inefficiencies and raises questions about the government’s capacity to deliver on its grand promises.
Final Thoughts
The continued collapse of infrastructure highlights a systemic failure in ensuring quality and safety, pointing to a need for more stringent oversight and transparency in the infrastructure projects. As citizens, it is crucial to demand higher standards and accountability from both government and private entities involved in these developments. The repeated failures suggest a deeper issue that goes beyond isolated incidents, calling for a comprehensive review and overhaul of current practices to prevent future tragedies. Only through sustained public pressure and a commitment to integrity in governance can such systemic issues be effectively addressed, ensuring the safety and well-being of all.
Mohd Ziyauallah Khan is a freelance content writer based in Nagpur. He is also an activist and social entrepreneur, co-founder of the group TruthScape, a team of digital activists fighting disinformation on social media.”
