Delhi - the land of ...Eight? Ruins.

Its one of the most popular titles that kids use while writing about Delhi. Atleast, till late it spelt "Delhi- the land of Seven Ruins" . DElhi has been housed and populate seven times, and tuine just as many times. The city has a magnificince of it own to have survived so many times. Delhi has seen many raids of terror from people like Ganghis Khan, Nadir Shah, Ahmad shah Abdali... and the rest. But each time, the city has valiantly stood up to these raids, graccefully crumbled down and got back on its feet, each time a new face moulded by the then ruler. The city now, as it is, is a corncupia of cultures and ethnics. People of all classes, colours, creeds, sects horde the streets. The streets themselves tell tales of the times gone long ago maintaining facets of time and culture. You can find every kind of lane in Delhi. An eight lane highway as well as a skimpy little alley that allows just one man to pass at a time. Victorian landmarks, modern well spruced high rises and Moghlai constructions. Five star Hotels to household inns. Sophisticated business centres to back-alley cottage industries. Delhi has everything. For everybody. And all this can very justifiably be attributed to the 'contributions' made by the multitued of people who have targeted Delhi, either to ruin it, or to settle it.
These days however, the city is on the verge of being ruined in a new way. And this time ironically, by its own people.
Delhi is to host Commonwealth Games in 2010. And the government thinks that it can change the face of the city in four years. There are loud claims of transforming Delhi into a second Paris. And how does the government set on to do so??? By mutilating the city. The MCD (Municipal Coropration Department) has taken up the taks to weed out illegal constructions in the city, Demolish them, not repair them, correct them but DEMOLISH them and no less. Among these come residential areas, some commercial areas and countless slums that are being uprooted out of the blue to materialise thise 'transformation'. Bulldozers have suddenly cropped up everywhere and are tossing big and small buildings alike, uprooting them like mushrooms. Some buildings are having their balconies grazed, some the eiter top floor, or even floors, and some are completely being erased out of existence. And the residents? The occupants? They have the option of either pocketing huge bribes to the department rangng from their clers, the polcie officers to the executive officials, or watch their homes being swept away.
MCD has claimed that 80% of the constructions in Delhi are illegal. Question is, where were the officers when these 'illegal' consturctions were on the way? even the guidelines set by the departsment regarding the classifications of 'illegal' and 'legal' constructions are hazy.
Not to mention that bribery is still in full swing. It is definitelya lucrative job, that of a MCD officer. First, you get paid to erect these constructions. Then you get paid to demolish them. And again, you get paid by those who are desperately trying to save their abodes from crumbling to dust.An MCD officer is on an average salary scale of 6-11,000 INR, based on seniority and skill level. Take a look at the ACTUAL incomes of these Departments:
2 to 2.5 Lakhs : paid per month to the MCD officials in charge during the period of construction
1 lakh paid for constrution of additional storeys
1 lakh paid to police officials during construction
Rs. 100/- paid to policemen as per truck entry fee.

Builders shell out around 20 to 40 lakhs per construction. No mean feat. But these builders can afford thisone time expenditure that is still inconsequential compared to their enormous profits. But what about the people who buy these houses? they're hardly all multimillionaires who can warm the officers' pockets when and where needed.
There are instances everywhere of 'selective' demolition which simply means, that buldings that have been paid for under the table are declared 'legal' or 'legit', and those that havent been are dragged down to dust.
Someone needs to define this menace. Someone needs to intervene and notice that the people who ultimately suffer are the ones that are largely not guilty of anything.Someone needs to redefine legitimate and illegitimate thoroughly enuogh for both people and offices. Otherwise, we'd have not a Paris, but just another ruined face of delhi, a mass of rubble and concrete, to show in 2010.