CPI(M) Holds Massive Protest at Ghaziabad Municipal Commissioner’s Office Over Basic Civic Failures

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] staged a massive protest at the Municipal Commissioner’s office on June 16, 2025, raising strong objections against the dismal state of basic civic amenities in the city. The demonstration was the culmination of a month-long public awareness campaign conducted throughout the district, aimed at mobilising citizens around pressing urban issues such as water scarcity, broken roads, dysfunctional drainage systems, sewage mismanagement, and overall neglect of working-class neighbourhoods.

The protesters submitted a memorandum of demands to Additional Municipal Commissioner Mr. Jung Bahadur Singh. The document, addressed to both the State Urban Development Minister and the Municipal Commissioner, outlined urgent civic problems and called for immediate intervention.

Addressing the gathering, Comrade Rajeev Kunwar, a member of the Secretariat of the CPI(M) Delhi State Committee (NCR), stated that despite Ghaziabad’s status as a major industrial city and its proximity to the National Capital Region, it continues to suffer from appalling infrastructural deficits. He noted that the city generates significant revenue for both the state and local governments, yet residents are deprived of essential services. Criticizing the so-called “double engine” government, he accused both the central and state administrations of being entangled in corruption and ignoring the real needs of the public.

CPI(M) District Secretary Ishwar Tyagi highlighted that labour colonies within the municipal limits are reeling under severe shortages of drinking water. He described a grim scenario of broken and overflowing drains, potholed roads, piles of unmanaged garbage, and stagnant dirty water due to non-functional sewers. Schools and hospitals in these areas, he added, are in a dilapidated condition, forcing the urban poor to face hardships on a daily basis.

Neeru Singh, District President of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), further criticized the discriminatory treatment meted out by the municipal authorities. She pointed out that while posh localities receive ample resources and attention, older neighborhoods and slum clusters are consistently neglected. She pointed out that, development works in these neglected areas are either ignored or only undertaken occasionally, and then only as token gestures under public pressure.

Trifool Singh, Secretary of the City Local Committee of CPI(M), focused on the economic burden being placed on ordinary citizens. He condemned the recent increase in house tax, saying it had sparked widespread resentment among the public. Similarly, Devendra Sharma, Secretary of the Sahibabad Local Committee, accused political parties of making false promises during election seasons, only to abandon them after gaining power. He asserted that announcements made in the name of development have turned out to be hollow slogans. He said that the officials and public representatives are colluding for personal gain, while looting public resources under the guise of making Ghaziabad a "Smart City."

Senior party leader B.K.S. Chauhan, who presided over and conducted the protest, was sharply critical of the apathy shown by elected officials, including MPs, MLAs, the Mayor, and local councilors. He said these representatives have distanced themselves from the public’s concerns. He also slammed the BJP governments at the center and in the state for betraying their own slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with all, development for all). He alleged that both governments are indulging in discriminatory governance and completely ignoring the needs of workers, the poor, and marginalized communities.

Chauhan warned that if the administration fails to act on the demands in the memorandum, the CPI(M) will call for a district-wide chakka jam on July 9, 2025, aligning with the nationwide general strike, and will take to the streets with greater force.

The memorandum presented to municipal authorities includes several critical demands. These include establishing a permanent and regular supply of drinking water, restarting and maintaining the sewer system, ensuring regular sanitation and anti-mosquito spraying, and repairing broken roads and drains with proper construction. It also demands the installation of street lights and construction of community centers in every municipal ward.

Further demands include rolling back the recent house tax hike, developing public parks and appointing gardeners, and repairing school infrastructure while ensuring access to clean drinking water, toilets, and sports facilities. The party has also called for the provision of housing through DUDA (District Urban Development Agency) for workers, the poor, the disabled, and widowed women. Additional demands include issuing official identification cards to street vendors, building public toilets near weekly markets, creating dedicated stands for e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, and ensuring proper staffing and medicine supply at public hospitals and dispensaries. A new hospital in the Vasundhara zone was also called for on an urgent basis.