NEW DELHI: With less than 48 hours to go for the 2025 Delhi Assembly, Tilak Nagar residents are expressing growing frustration over poor infrastructure, broken promises, and governance failures, even as AAP’s Jarnail Singh still is leading ahead.
Concerns Over Old Age Pension
Sushil Srivastav, a senior citizen, shared his frustration regarding old age pensions. He claimed that despite repeated promises, the AAP government has failed to address pension issues. “If people on the old age pension list are passing away, why isn’t the government updating the list? Why aren’t they removing old names and adding new beneficiaries?” he asked, expressing his concerns about the lack of progress.
Srivastav also raised the issue of the long and frustrating process involved in applying for pensions. “After filling out the form to be included in the pension list, there is no update. The process just stops without any response,” he added while talking to The New Indian.
Support for Jarnail Singh
While Jarnail Singh has supporters in Tilak Nagar, their arguments for his continued leadership lack strength. In contrast, vocal critiques from residents highlight significant dissatisfaction with his tenure.
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In the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, the race for the Tilak Nagar constituency is largely focused on two major contenders: Jarnail Singh from AAP, the incumbent representative since 2015, and Shweta Saini from BJP.
Civic Issues At Top
One of the most pressing concerns for local residents is the state of infrastructure. Roads are in disrepair, sewers are clogged, and dirty water is coming through the taps.
Ashwani Kumar Marwah, a local resident, voiced his frustration, saying, “Roads are broken, sewers are clogged, and dirty water is coming through our taps. Now that elections are here, the current MLA suddenly shows up in the streets, breaking coconuts and telling women that the roads will be fixed in two days. Why do they only remember to do this during elections? Where are they the rest of the time?”
Marwah further criticized AAP’s promises, particularly the party’s symbol, the broom. “That broom (AAP’s symbol) is just to fool people. Free electricity, free water—none of it actually works. They are spending public money on freebies and enjoying their own luxuries,” he added.
Healthcare is another area where residents feel let down by the government. Marwah pointed out the poor condition of Mohalla Clinics, the government’s initiative for affordable healthcare.
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“These so-called health centers have turned into dens for drug addicts. Most of them are shut down anyway,” he said, expressing his disappointment with the state of healthcare services.
The water supply in Tilak Nagar has also been a long-standing issue. “Check any street—filthy water comes through the taps. It’s so bad that some people don’t even bother collecting it. We are forced to buy drinking water from outside,” Marwah explained to The New Indian. This highlights the ongoing crisis that residents face, with clean water being a rare commodity.
A Critique of Mohalla Clinics
Expanding on his dissatisfaction with the health services, Srivastav also pointed out the quality of care at Mohalla Clinics, sharing a personal experience. “They give forged reports and don’t even inform patients about their validity. I once took my wife there for a check-up—she has thyroid issues—but the Mohalla Clinic report falsely stated that she had no thyroid problem,” he said.
