Public Utility Commission for Delhi

Public Utility Commission for Delhi
November07, 2011
 
Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi, 
Smt. Sheila Dikshit, 
Secretariat Building, 
New Delhi – 110002 
 
'Providing Global Standard Public Services in New Delhi'
 
Respected Madam, 
India and states required Public Utility Commission like in USA than RTI or Lokpal or Regulators to ensure high quality services at reasonable prices to people of India and to keep relentless watch on the functioning of public services Transport, Energy, Communications, Water, Health, PDS and Education. 
 
New Delhi has all the resources to be among World's Best cities unlike most other Metros Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru that are overcrowded or have water shortage – Delhi has much less population density. 
 
Delhi enjoyed Excellent Water Supply, Power Supply, Transport, PDS, Healthcare, Education and Communications till 1990 when unauthorized colonies were regularized and unauthorized, unscientific and unplanned large scale construction activities were allowed all over Delhi, leading to deteriorating and deficient public services when population almost tripled. 
 

In the absence of Public Utility Commission government departments ignored Professional Advice and Public Grievances. I vigorously petitioned to GOI & Delhi Government on Public Services since 1980 but there was no response – for example I reported bad planning of water supply in 1980 that was acknowledged by Sanjay Gandhi and American Water Works Association but neither Central nor state Governments took them seriously. (Copies enclosed) DJB didn't respond or implement any suggestion or properly attended to 99% complaints. Consumers had to install Inefficient Booster Pumps, Storage Tanks & Water Purifiers. 
 
1. Water & Sanitation and Floods: - DJB supply water invariably mixed with sewage in view of intermittent supply and leaking sewage and water lines. Open drains pass through city. Yamuna carry sewage and drainage of Haryana as Delhi's entitlement to Yamuna River waters. Encroachment of drains & no Dam Storage has contributed to intensification of floods in Delhi during monsoon. 
 
DJB do not observe any quality and service standard. Stick brooms are used to clean roads that throw up dust clouds laden with disease causing germs. Delhi has the unique distinction of breeding 'Delhi Superbug' or drug resistant bacteria and over 100m Indians – 2m people in Delhi already carry this Delhi Superbug. This is over $500b social Cost, $20b for Delhi. PUC would ensure both water quality and service standards. 
2.  Transport: - More than 90% of population was served by either public transport or people used to Bicycle around till 1980, now public transport serve 20% and rest of population depend on private motor vehicles and autos and taxis. Delhi Metro built at huge cost serve less than 5% of Delhi population and fare charged per kilometer is more than economy class air travel to UK or USA. 
 
DTU in 1975 to 1980 or so used to consult RWA and introduce some special routes through colonies for the convenience of residents. Just about 10% population is served by DTC these days. 
 
20-50 Passenger Buses may be introduced as feeders and Multi User Taxis, 20% exclusively for women, to be introduced on shorter connecting routes and Numbers of autos may be doubled. 
 
Instead of GPS system resisted by Auto Unions each Auto & Taxi to Maintain Logbook and have Mobile Phone registered with Transport Authority to address security, service & over charging issues. Mobile Number of Autos and Taxis be Painted in back sides and inside of vehicles. 
 
Residents now depend on 7 million cars and motorcycles for transport, very few have garage for parking and for vehicle security have Gated Colonies allowing only one or two exits. Even government colonies had installed boundary walls for security of cars and motorcycles. 
 
Ordinance to 'Keep 30ft Roads or Main Through Roads in Residential Colonies Open for Light Vehicle Traffic for One Way Traffic and 40+ roads for Two Way Traffic' between 7AM to 9PM with conditions first no horn use, second speed limit of 30kmph and third only silent vehicles with effective silencers would be permitted. Any violation is to attract Rs.5000/- fine. This alone would reduce traffic jams, reduce pollution and driving cost. This will allow Ambulances, Police and Fire Service attend complaints speedily. 
 
All Mid and Large size car owners to compulsorily own a Two Wheeler to avoid cars use for shopping in local markets. Parking fees to be charged based on three sizes of cars Small, Medium & Large. For security of Residents High Resolution Cameras be installed to record any violation of speed or law. 
 
http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/delhi/delhi-metro-phase-3-map.html 
Phase III Delhi Metro is most unintelligent – running along or parallel to Inner and Outer Ring Roads, and 103 km route to cost Rs 35,242 crore is twice more expensive than lines already operational need be completely scrapped. Delhi may introduce High Capacity Electric Tram Bus Service – each set carrying up to 500 passengers on BRT routes. 
 
Circular Railway and Interstate Rail Routes be developed for local services on existing lines could be cheaper and faster than Mumbai Local Trains, two times faster than Delhi Metro and average speed could exceed 60 kmph in Delhi. New Shatabdi- Rajdhani Railway Terminal be located at Safdarjung Bus Terminal so as to link with Metro Line and Aurbindo Marg to link with Barapul Elevated Road. This shall free Main Platforms at stations for starting & terminating other important trains. 

Going from Dadar to Kalyan, Direction : DOWN Between time: 19:00 - 20:00
Distance to be travelled : 45km Estimated Travel time: 56 to 75 min 
Second Class one side Ticket: Rs. 12
 
New Kashmere Gate – Central Secretariat route is most undesirable. Since Kashmere Gate – ITO bypass is already operational; One Way Traffic through Daryaganj would provide Circular Traffic flow address the traffic problem at no cost. 
 
Peak Hour Restrictions: - Single passenger cars to be restricted on congested roads during peak hours. 
 
3. Energy: - Power supply in Delhi was surplus until 1990 and losses under 20% but after regularization of unauthorized colonies and illegal constructions theft, low voltage, power cuts and losses mounted and Delhi experiences power cuts and interruptions during Summer & Winter months. 
 
Consumers have installed Inverters or generators that add to cost of Rs.4000 per year for Battery & Maintenance and Rs.2000 per year for continuous power use. 
 
Around 10% of Domestic & Commercial consumers use over 40% power primarily to run Airconditioning & Heating loads who could be required to install solar heating systems and restrict business hours or supply Airconditioning Loads upto 5 PM. Instead all consumers are subjected to power cuts and forced to install Standby Power systems. 
 
4.  Communications: -  Since 2002 Delhi has Optic Fiber network laid by Reliance, Tata, Airtel, MTNL and Vodafone but not utilized to even 1% of its capacity. 
 
Delhi and Metros can have Optic Fiber based High Speed internet, Telephone, VOIP, IPTV etc at par with Global Standards in 12 months economical than anywhere in the world. 
 
5.  Healthcare: - Private Hospitals are not treating 25% patients free as per terms of land leases. Delhi government may revise the terms and acquire 25% of room space in such hospitals and employ Government Doctors to provide free Healthcare to Delhi residents. 
 
In less than 12 months Delhi shall have much improved Healthcare for its citizens. 
 
6.  Education: -  Similarly Delhi government to operate Evening Shift in Private Schools on leased land for Weaker Section students, transferring MCD school staff and students. 
 
MCD schools that have low enrollment of below 500 or have poor infrastructure or are more than 200 meters from Bus or Metro Stations be returned to RWAs for building Community Centers, Clubs & Playgrounds. 
7. PDS: -  Super Bazaar, Kendriya Bandar, RWA Co-operatives Mother Dairy, were common in 1960-80 supplying food and essential commodities and all RWAs to have a Co-operative Stores for 1000 population for supplying food and essential commodities. 
 
Delhi government to support Collective Procurement Centers in Neighboring States to source supplies directly from farmers for Cooperatives and PDS avoiding 4-5 middlemen in supply of essential commodities. 
 
Farmers Co-operatives in neighboring states be licensed to operate 2000 Nos 3T trucks for Morning Fresh Fruit & Vegetable distribution from 5AM to 8AM and 500 such trucks for door to door supply between 11AM and 4PM. 
 
8. Disneyland: -  Safdarjung Airport site is ideal for 'Disneyland', Delhi may lease around 100 acres of land to 'Disneyland Company' for Development. 
 
Public Utility Commission for Delhi On Expert Advise & RWA Consultations Shall Integrate and Re-Model Public Utilities At Par With Developed Countries in 1-3 years. 
 
Thank you, 
Faithfully 
 
Ravinder Singh*
Inventor & Consultant
Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016
Progressindia008@yahoo.com  
*Ravinder Singh, WIPO awarded inventor specializing in Power, Transportation, Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technologies, IT and Projects.