Aali Vihar residents in south Delhi are still dependent on a rough, unpaved route to reach the main road, despite a proposal and funding for a permanent connection to Mathura Road. The access road, used by an estimated 45,000 people, becomes muddy during rain and has been linked by residents to frequent falls, vehicle breakdowns and accidents.
Aali Vihar colony was established in 1990, but the route connecting it with the Mohan Estate–Mathura Road corridor has not been converted into a paved road, according to a report by Jagran. Residents use the stretch to reach schools, colleges, offices, markets, buses and metro services.
The condition of the road is particularly difficult during the monsoon. Residents said even light rain turns the surface into mud, making it difficult for pedestrians, rickshaws and buses to pass. Several residents told Jagran that people have slipped on the road, while rickshaws have overturned and school buses have become stuck.
Ninety-year-old resident and former serviceman Chiranjee Lal said his son had used the unpaved route to go to school and that his grandchildren were now facing the same conditions. He said his entire life had passed without the colony receiving a proper access road.
Rickshaw driver Sanjay Kumar said the route was uneven and that a rickshaw overturned every few days, causing injuries. School bus driver Suresh Kumar said buses often slipped or became stuck after rain, forcing nearby residents to help push them out.
Residents also alleged that elected representatives have repeatedly promised to build the road during election periods, but that work has not followed. Narayan Singh Bisht, general secretary of the local residential committee, said residents had been pursuing the issue continuously and that the road had still not been provided despite funds being released.
The proposed road would run across land belonging to Uttar Pradesh’s irrigation department. Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra had sought permission from the Uttar Pradesh government for construction on the land. The proposal included roads connecting Aali Vihar with Lal Shiv Temple, Lal Shiv Temple with Road Number 13A, Pocket D in Sarita Vihar with Aali village, and Aali Vihar with Mathura Road.
The Public Works Department approved Rs 803.39 crore in September 2025 under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund for road construction and beautification works. The package reportedly included a road from Aali Vihar to Sarita Vihar, estimated to cost about Rs 38 crore. The irrigation department provided land for the road in 2018, and funds for construction were reportedly released last year.
The report does not establish when construction will begin or identify a confirmed completion deadline. For residents, the unresolved issue remains the gap between administrative approval, land permission and an operational road connecting the colony to Delhi’s main transport network.
