In 2017, Kadipur in north Delhi, adopted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from North-East Delhi Manoj Tiwari, had hit the headlines after it became the first village in the capital to get “free wi-fi”. However, it is still struggling to get basic amenities like regular water supply, a medical dispensary and a proper garbage disposal facility.
Since 2014, when Tiwari adopted the village under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, it got a makeover — dirt roads (kuchha roads) were paved and lit with conventional as well as LED streetlights. Water, though, comes to residents for only four hours a day – 4 am to 8 am — and that too on alternate days.
Akhil Rana, a 2 year BA (History) student at Swami Shradhanand College in Alipur, said that the free wi-fi service has helped students in their studies. “We could not afford the 24/7 internet facility. The free wi-fi has helped us in accessing online notes and attempting online exams from home only,” he said.
When HT visited the village on Wednesday, the system was not working.
Local BJP councillor Urmila Rana said that the wi-fi in the area was deliberately switched off. “We received multiple complaints from parents saying that their children were spending more time on the internet than studying,” she said. “They requested us to switch it off for two months during the board exam season. We will restart the service by next week since board exams are over now,” she said.
Bimla Devi, a resident, said that the government should fix the water issue instead of spending on the internet and LED streetlights. “Someone from my family has to wake up at 4 am every day to fill water. We treat water like gold. The village has got internet connectivity but there is no regular water supply. The roads are lit with LEDs but what about water?” she said.
Councillor Rana said that she had written multiple times to the Delhi government over the water issue but to no avail. “The village has been completely transformed. We have paved all the roads and installed over 40 polls with conventional street lights and 400 LED street lights. He has provided free wifi and also built 200 benches across the village from his MP fund. We have been trying to get uninterrupted water supply and in regular contact with the Delhi Jal Board officials,” she said.
Kadipur comprises two small adjoining villages— Kushak no-1 and Kushak no-2—and has population of around 8,000. It has 6,000 registered voters.