An important Shaheen Bagh bridge (pulia), used daily by thousands of commuters, collapsed several days ago and has since been in urgent need of repair. The bridge connects Shaheen Bagh’s 40-foot road — a popular food hub — and is located just a few metres from the residence of former Okhla MLA Asif Md Khan on Road Number 9 (AFE–Kalindi Kunj Road), near the auto stand.
Following the collapse of the Shaheen Bagh bridge, which occurred about 15 days ago according to some residents, commuters’ hardships have increased, as they are now forced to take a longer route to reach their homes and shops. One resident said he got stuck on the other side of the Shaheen Bagh bridge when it broke. “I had to go to my hometown and catch a train, but I was getting delayed. Somehow, with great difficulty, I took an alternative route and reached the railway station just in time. Surprisingly, even after ten days, I was told that no efforts had been made to repair the broken bridge,” he said.
ALSO READ
‘Demolition notice’ triggers panic in Abul Fazal Enclave
“This Shaheen Bagh bridge completely caved in from the weight of a loaded truck. You can see it for yourself,” said Babbar Khan. “Police have barricaded the area from both sides, and vehicles, including rickshaws, can no longer pass through.”
Despite the barricades, people are still risking their lives to cross the broken bridge. “Look at how people are jumping across the gap – children, women. This is extremely dangerous,” he said.
Many residents are visibly angry, highlighting the lackadaisical approach of local leaders and the administration toward the area.
A resident said the MLA is missing in action. “All we do is cry. It’s been so long since the elections, but we haven’t seen the MLA in public,” said another resident. Amanatullah Khan is the MLA from Okhla. He won for the third time in a row, defeating BJP’s Manish Chaudhry. His AAP party, headed by Arvind Kejriwal, lost Delhi to the BJP in the Delhi Assembly election held only a few months ago.
Another local pointed out the daily dangers: “We are literally putting our lives on the line. Bikes are coming from the wrong direction. We have to take the wrong side of the road just to reach our homes.”
With the bridge collapsed and surrounding paths blocked, residents are left without a safe route.
Another person said: “It’s been more than 15 days. Where is the MLA? Why hasn’t anyone shown up yet? The problem has been especially difficult for women. Many are unable to cross the area due to the risks involved. This is a major concern. They can’t jump over the broken bridge like others. It’s just not safe.”
Locals are demanding urgent action before things worsen.
“Just wait — some untoward incident will happen, and only then they’ll come to fix it,” said one resident, echoing a grim but commonly held view in the area.
Residents in Okhla have been lamenting that, over the years, the area has descended into chaos — with broken roads, piles of garbage, water-logged streets even in summer, and dust in the air becoming the norm. They said that year after year, leaders come, make promises, and then do nothing once in power.
A resident said the real problem is the blame game between local leaders. “If you go to the Councillor with a complaint, they say it’s not their responsibility — it’s the MLA’s. But when you go to the MLA, they say it’s the Councillor’s job.” Residents are left completely confused and frustrated. During elections, these same leaders compete to show how much they care about the locality.
“When elections were around the corner, all the leaders were busy competing with each other in cleaning the area,” said another resident. “But now, they’ve all vanished—only to resurface five years later, during the next election, along with their supporters and so-called activists, who keep switching loyalties based on where they find their bread and butter,” he said.
