Jaipur: Residents of colonies along Gopalpura Bypass Road have accused Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) of delaying implementation of Supreme Court’s directions to tackle the coaching hub crisis, alleging that repeated surveys have replaced concrete action even after the apex court sought remedial measures within three weeks.For residents, the problem has become a daily ordeal. About two months ago, 80-year-old Murali Prasad Sharma fell ill. An ambulance took nearly 20 minutes to cover a 700 metre stretch from Gopalpura Bypass Road to his house because colony roads were clogged with pool cars and vehicles parked outside coaching centres.Rahul Agrawal, who lives near Mahesh Nagar police station, said several neighbouring buildings have exceeded sanctioned construction limits by converting terraces into rooms for paying guests. “Our house hardly gets sunlight or fresh air now. Residential buildings are being used commercially without checks,” he said.Residents allege the unchecked growth of coaching centres, hostels and paying guest accommodation has overwhelmed residential colonies, resulting in traffic congestion, illegal parking and noise. They also claim the coaching economy has encouraged late-night student parties, unauthorised commercial activity, tobacco sales and suspected drug abuse in neighbourhoods planned as residential areas.“Despite several complaints to police, civic bodies and even former chief ministers, there has been no solution. Coaching centre owners have a nexus with politicians and no action is taken against them or the ancillary paying guest and hostel industry,” said Gopal Kumar Agrawal, secretary of the coordination committee representing 130 colonies.After repeated meetings with authorities failed, residents formed the coordination committee and approached Supreme Court.Agrawal said the apex court has directed JDA to place on record the remedial and corrective measures it proposes to take. “JDA should tell the court its SOP for relocating coaching centres to Pratap Nagar. Instead, it wants another survey. This would perhaps be the fifth or sixth survey by JMC and JDA in the last three years,” he said.
