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Residents of Dhobi Ghat, G-Block JJ Cluster in Jahangirpuri say they are forced to live with dirty water, overflowing sewage and unsafe streets every day. Children fall sick, cannot attend school regularly, and families struggle with basic hygiene and safety issues.
People say that complaints to authorities have brought no real action, even after repeated calls and showing videos of the problem. They claim leaders visit during elections but fail to fix manholes, water supply lines or worsening law and order conditions.
This is happening despite crores of rupees being sanctioned for drainage, sewer and water projects in Delhi. Residents question why, under a triple-engine government with large budgets approved, basic civic problems in their area still remain unresolved.
Dirty water being supplied through water supply pipelines, theft occurring in broad daylight, children falling ill due to unhygienic environment and not being able to go to school: these are some of the many problems the residents of Dhobi Ghat Gali, G-Block Cluster, Jahangirpuri face everyday.
The G-Block colony falls under the Jhuggi Jhopdi (JJ) Cluster of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. The Dhobi Ghat, Gali 1800, G Block Cluster, Jahangipuri, Azadpur, falls under the Adarsh Nagar Vidhan Sabha Constituency of Delhi. Adarsh Nagar’s MLA is BJP’s Raj Kumar Bhatia, and the Adarsh Nagar constituency falls under the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha Constituency. The MP from Chandni Chowk, Delhi is BJP’s Praveen Khandelwal.
NewsGram conducted a ground report of the Dhobi Ghat, Gali 1800 of G-Block JJ Cluster, Jahangirpuri on February 10, 2026. The region is owned by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). The area seems to be neglected by the administration, as dirty sewage water fills the lanes, unhygienic conditions persist and people seem aggravated from systemic failure.
Waseem, 32, a resident living in one of the G-Block Clusters, said that the area is unsafe. He said: “Thieves have stolen valuables from my home. I’m a vegetable Biryani seller in the nearby mandi, and my utensils, pots and other stuff have been stolen. Jewellery in my house has also been stolen. I have reported to the Police, and they have apprehended two suspects, while another suspect is absconding. The thieves are also from my area. The Police have said that they are working on the case.”
No more than a few 100 metres from the area, the Atal Canteen is located. However, the area around the Dhobi Ghant Gali and the Atal canteen are surrounded with dirt, garbage, and filth. Residents living in the area have complained numerous times to the residents, but they have received no heed from the system.
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Rakhi, a homemaker in her 30s, said that for the past four to five months, sewage water has been overflowing onto the streets, with manholes spilling filth into residential lanes and even backing up into people’s homes. “We have shown videos to the authorities and made several calls, but no one comes to fix the issue. Ministers only come here to seek votes and give fake assurances,” she said, adding that there are no basic facilities in the area.
She further claimed that law and order in the locality has deteriorated. “Dindahade chaku chal jati hai, khoon ho jata hai, police wale tak nahi sunte hamari” (Knife-stabbing occurs in broad daylight, criminals commit murders, the Police doesn’t even listen to us) she alleged, adding that MLA Raj Kumar Bhatia “does not enter our lane to see the real problems, he only visits the outer parts of the area (mainly on the streets).”
According to her, developed lanes are repeatedly dug up and repaired, while damaged ones remain neglected and unrepaired. She also mentioned that demolition threats loom over the jhuggi residents. She also pointed out that the local park remains filthy, making it unsafe for children, and said that those who cannot afford clean water are forced to consume contaminated water, leading to illness and hospital visits.
An old lady, a resident of the area, came forward to share her plights. She was clearly troubled and agitated. She said that there was a tragedy in her family three days ago, and mourners came to visit her. However, there was no place to sit as sewage water was lying all around, she claimed.
“We are facing problems every day, but no one is doing their work. Vote lene aa jayenge, mantri ban jayenge, jeet jayenge, aur vaise kaam na karein, kisi ki majboori na samjhe (The ministers will come seeking votes, they will get elected, but they won’t work here and understand the problems of the people here)” she said, urging authorities to at least address the persistent issue of overflowing manholes.
The MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) under the Government of Delhi is responsible for governing civic amenities such as sanitation, primary health, primary education and local roads. The MCD is governed by the BJP, with the Government of NCT Delhi falling under the reins of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led BJP.
Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena is the centre appointed administrator for Delhi. The Union Government is also headed by the BJP, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi running his third consecutive term from 2024. This efficiently implies that there is a triple engine government in Delhi, led by BJP.
However, with the BJP acting as the main government body in Delhi, and practically all portfolios (centre and union-territory) such as Police, Public Welfare, Land and Education among others falling under its operational domain, critical issues persist in multiple areas like Jahangirpuri of Delhi.
Previously, Arvind Kejriwal (former CM of Delhi) and other AAP ministers frequently stated during their term that they were seeing hindrances in their work due to the BJP ruling centre, which appointed its own LG. However, many residents of the G-Block Cluster pointed out that with the BJP acting as the main administrative body in the region, essential public works such as repairing water supply pipelines, addressing the waterlogging issue and safety issues were being ignored. They even said that the MCD was not doing its work properly, the residents continue to face troubles everyday.
Another resident, a homemaker in her 30s, said that children in the locality frequently fall ill due to the sewage water accumulated around their homes.
“The MCD has completely ruined everything. Ever since the BJP came to power in the MCD, our condition has worsened. We cannot even bathe properly because of the unbearable stench of the water from the taps, it smells exactly like a gutter” she said, urging that videos of the situation be shown to Rekha Gupta. “Sewage overflows from the manholes onto the streets. Just imagine how we are supposed to eat with such filth outside our homes. The water we receive is not clean at all, someone should make Rekha Gupta drink this water and see how dirty it is,” she added.
When asked whether CM Rekha Gupta should resign, she responded, “She should definitely resign. Our children are falling sick, how will they appear for their exams? No one is able to do their work. We are deeply upset with Rekha Gupta.”
An elderly woman of the region said that children are forced to walk through dirty, stagnant water in the locality, leading to health problems. “When children walk around in filthy water, their feet get infected. Even we suffer, our feet get affected and we fall sick. The water is extremely dirty” she said. She also echoed the problem of dirty water from the supply lines.
Residents have said that they want the manholes to be immediately repaired, and that the streets are cleaned. They also urged the authorities to ensure the supply of clean drinking water.
The Ministry of Public Works Department and Water is headed by Cabinet Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma. In January 2026, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, while speaking in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, announced approval of ₹7,212 crore worth of water and sewer infrastructure projects aimed at improving sewage treatment, expanding sewer networks and ensuring cleaner, more reliable water supply across Delhi. Earlier, in late 2025, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) cleared and released ₹735 crore for water supply and sewerage upgrades, including pipeline replacement and network modernisation across multiple city zones.
Separately, in February 2026, the Delhi government sanctioned ₹125 crore for remodelling nearly 28 km of major stormwater drains in North Delhi to improve drainage flow and reduce waterlogging. In addition, a broader long-term drainage master plan worth about ₹57,000 crore has been proposed for phased implementation by the Government of NCT Delhi.
However, the situation on the ground presents a strikingly different picture. With huge sums of taxpayers money being allocated to develop the city, many areas of Delhi continue to see such troubles almost everyday, and their grievances are not heard by the authorities. The residents of Dhobi Ghat Gali continue to wade through filth, unsafe streets and contaminated water, so the pressing question remains: where are these funds being utilised, and why are the benefits not reaching the very people they are meant to serve?
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