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Time of India
05-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Murals of Doon fade amid cracks in maintenance
Dehradun: The once vibrant and colourful walls across Dehradun are now fading, with the murals painted over them in a state of neglect. Whether painted as part of beautification efforts by Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL) or by Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), the condition of these paintings has visibly deteriorated. Issues of mural defacement have been reported in several areas, including Rangers Ground, Kaulagarh Road, EC Road, and Haridwar Bypass Road, among others. "In almost all areas, the murals have been defaced. On Canal Road, they were once a delight to see — now, they're an eyesore. Posters and pamphlets are plastered over them, and the colours have faded into faint outlines," said Yesh Veer Arya, a resident of the area. Locals report that several of the walls have developed cracks, and weeds have started growing out of them. "If the walls were properly maintained, the paintings could be taken care of as well. Some of these were touched up recently before the President's visit, but the rest of the city's murals remain neglected, said another resident. Residents have also questioned the quality of work done on these walls, especially as MDDA spent over Rs 80 lakhs on beautification and landscaping just a year and a half ago ahead of the Global Investors Summit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em São Gonçalo (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo "If these projects don't survive a single season, it raises serious questions about the quality of work done. First, wall paintings were done indiscriminately across the entire city, and then authorities failed to maintain them. Soon, everything will need to be redone. All of this indicates a huge dent in resources. These funds could be used for other essential development work. The projects should also have provisions for maintenance," said social activist Lokesh Ohri, a former member of the smart city board. The situation has been further complicated by the dissolution of DSCL in March. With no new funds being allocated, the projects are being handed over to various civic agencies. According to a DSCL source, the transition is expected to be completed in the coming months, after which each agency will assume responsibility for its respective area. Meanwhile, this has resulted in no one body actively taking responsibility for the work across the entire city. A spokesperson for MDDA, however, said, "Paintings and murals under our jurisdiction are being regularly cleaned and maintained. Touch-ups are done where required."
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Doon residents upset over lack of transparency in beautification projects
Dehradun: For over a month, beautification work has been underway at four major landmarks in Dehradun. However, many residents have expressed dissatisfaction at being excluded from the planning process once again. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL) is executing landscaping and beautification efforts at Dilaram Chowk, Clock Tower, Sai Mandir Chowk, and Kuthal Gate, in addition to drainage upgrades at ISBT. According to officials, the projects, estimated to cost Rs 10 crore, aim to transform available spaces with modular designs that not only enhance cleanliness but also attract tourists. Sources told TOI that these projects were assigned to DSCL to utilise leftover funds after the dissolution of Smart Cities Mission by March 31 this year. "Extensive beautification was already carried out just a year and a half ago for the Global Investors' Summit, costing taxpayers lakhs. Now we're starting from scratch again instead of maintaining existing work. This is a blatant misuse of resources," said social activist Anoop Nautiyal. He also criticised the lack of public engagement. "Citizen involvement was completely absent from the process. If plans were shared publicly, feedback and suggestions could be included. Lakhs were spent to build Brahmakamal Chowk, only to dismantle it later. The Clock Tower has undergone multiple redesigns in recent years. This culture of working in silos is disappointing, and authorities must change their mindset," Nautiyal added. Administrative officials, however, claim that the revamped landmarks will reflect local 'pahadi' aesthetics and will help streamline traffic with new slip roads and signals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Most of the work will be done by the end of June," said DSCL ACEO Tirath Pal. The only major active Smart City project remaining in Dehradun after this is the Rs 206 crore Green Building initiative. Meanwhile, civic bodies also voiced concerns, particularly as the Clock Tower area falls under the jurisdiction of Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC). "Multiple agencies working independently often lead to coordination and maintenance issues, as we've seen with previous projects," said a senior DMC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
