What’s equally disappointing, is that the institution which was set up by the Rajasthan government to create “a state-of-the-art city of substance”, will not answer a citizen’s questions about development rules and enforcement

Achintya Mukherjee

A recent survey ranks Jaipur 24th in a list of the top 100 fastest-growing cities in the world. But if you presume that civic governance has kept pace with the rate of growth, you are going to be sorely disappointed. The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) which was set up by the Rajasthan government to "create a state-of-the-art city of substance" is like a typical land development body-a web of obfuscation, ineptitude and corruption.

I found out to my horror that land use, zoning, and enforcement, or implementation of the rules that have been drawn up for the purpose, are tasks that the JDA has not even started on. This is precisely what JDA has stated in its letter, in reply to an application that I made recently under the Right to Information Act.

The JDA Website proudly proclaims: "JDA has been working… (to) ensure public convenience and safety. JDA firmly believes in bridging the gap and reaching out to its citizens and to provide them with quick and hassle-free service… JDA has been working towards time-bound construction, creation and development of the western part of Jaipur, based on major scientific and hi-tech strategies. Thus, Jaipur has been beautified intensively to augment the tourist attraction in the city and to raise the living standards to suit convenience of its citizens."

My recent experience is that these claims are balderdash. My RTI application (dated 1 July 2011) asked for the following information:
"Whether in the planning of the layout of JDA-approved colonies, requirements of zoning, land use, etc, are specified and changes if any, made by the respective colonies/plot holders require the specific permission of the JDA.
"Whether roads demarcated in these layout plans can be used for any other activities other than access roads.
"Whether erecting of cowsheds and stables or regular keeping of cows, bulls in approved colonies are allowed as part of land usage in JDA approved layouts.
"What action has been taken against any violator of rules by JDA, if any area of an approved road is used for maintaining cows/buffaloes?
"Whether all JDA-approved colonies are required to function within the ambit of any laws of housing societies; whether it is laid down by law that any society/association has to be formed and set up for the proper maintenance and upkeep of such colonies; if yes under what laws and whether they are required to report any change of land use to the JDA/any other statutory authorities; and if so, which authority?"

When I received a reply from JDA on 22nd July, I was impressed by the quick response, but that was only till I opened the envelope. (Ref. no. Javipra/Upa/Zone-11/2011/D-4255 dated 21-07-11.) It was a one-line reply informing me that the information required by me is "not available on the records. Hence it is not possible to provide the information."

Since then, I have received four other replies-all of them from different desks of the JDA. None of them gives the information that I have asked about the encroachment on roads, or about whose responsibility it is to enforce any rules (if there are any), about the administration of so-called 'JDA-approved colonies' which command a premium in the real-estate market due to the charges that citizens have to pay for the 'approved' status.

My experience with complaints through JDA's website, or its helpdesk, has been equally frustrating. Try clicking on the drop-down box of the 'citizen service' menu which is supposed to take you to enforcement complaint (http://121.242.213.11/jaipurjda/EnforcementComplaint.aspx). The page just will not open. I tried on 27th July from 12 noon to 1pm and then again from 3pm to 4pm, without any luck. If providence works in your favour, it may open through Google.

But JDA has a strange system of handling complaints. The complaint number that you are given when you call their helpdesk is what is 'entered in a register'. Apparently, when the number is entered in their database, a different number is allotted. So if you try to track your complaint number through the Website-like I did-you will come a cropper. Your 'register' number will not show your complaint details but someone else's!

Isn't all this set up to make 'greasing of palms' the only way to get your grievance redressed, which should otherwise be yours by right?