Jaipur: Just a few metres behind the bustling stretches of Badi Chaupar, Johri Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar lies a side of Jaipur’s Walled City that tourists rarely see. A TOI visit found narrow residential lanes choked with garbage, clogged drains and a foul smell, with residents blaming both inadequate civic cleaning and indiscriminate waste dumping.In Ganga Mata Ki Gali, shopkeeper Ankit said garbage remains piled up in some lanes for years. “During the rains, it all comes out onto the roads,” he said.Residents in Gopal Ji Ka Rasta in Bapu Bazaar, Patwon Ka Rasta, Ladi Walon Ki Gali in Chandpole Bazaar and Teli Pada near Chaura Rasta alleged sanitation workers often skip the narrow lanes between buildings, forcing some families to arrange private cleaning.Manoj Soni, who runs a dairy in Patwon Ka Rasta, pointed to a lane beside his shop that was being cleaned privately. A resident of Teli Pada said her family, which has lived there for over a century, could not afford the Rs 3,000 being demanded this year for private cleaning.Residents, however, admitted the problem is compounded by indiscriminate dumping. Yogesh said cleanliness in the area was far below acceptable standards, while others alleged that some tenants and jewellery workers dump waste in the lanes at night. With many old residential properties now converted into commercial establishments, locals said tenants often have little stake in maintaining the neighbourhood.Satvik, who runs a salon in the area, alleged there was little accountability in sanitation work. “If 20 workers are assigned here, only two actually work,” he claimed. In nearby Ladi Walon Ki Gali, resident Sunny Sharma, who lives in a 150-year-old haveli, said uncleared waste blocks drains, causing sewage and garbage to overflow onto roads during the monsoon.The neglected lanes lie close to some of Jaipur’s busiest tourist landmarks, including Johri Bazaar and Sanganeri Gate, underscoring the stark contrast between the Walled City’s heritage façade and the conditions in the neighbourhoods hidden behind it.
