Jaipur: Ahead of Rajasthan’s civic body elections, BJP Wednesday released its manifesto for 309 urban local bodies, promising measures to improve urban infrastructure and civic services, including 2,000 pink toilets, designated vending zones and robotic sewer cleaning.The manifesto promises repairing or replacing 3,000 km of old sewerage lines over five years, improving street light infrastructure, making cities garbage-free and strengthening night-time sanitation. It also promises robotic sewer cleaning and designated vending zones for street vendors.Congress criticised the manifesto, alleging that several of the promises merely repeat announcements made in the state Budgets for 2025 and 2026, despite questions over their implementation.On pink toilets, Congress pointed to the 2025 Budget announcement of 500 toilets at a cost of Rs 175 crore. Party leaders alleged the work was not carried out during the tenure of the previous Jaipur Municipal Corporation board.The street light promise also drew criticism. Congress said the 2025 budget had provided for 50,000 street lights across cities in Rajasthan, while the 2026 budget announced 17 lakh street lights for urban local bodies. Former councillors alleged that wards in Jaipur received only around 20 to 30 new lights against the earlier promise of 50,000 LED street lights.Congress also questioned BJP’s promise to rehabilitate 3,000 km of sewerage lines. The 2025 Budget had proposed bridging sewerage gaps in 75 cities and rehabilitating 2,000 km of old lines over four years. It had also announced the purchase of 100 advanced robotic 3-in-1 sewer-cleaning machines. Congress leaders alleged that Jaipur still lacked the envisaged system, and manual intervention remained necessary.The vending-zone promise also came under criticism, with Congress alleging that Jaipur’s vending zone committee had not met in two years.Jaipur city Congress president Sunil Sharma said BJP had repackaged earlier budget announcements in its manifesto and alleged that it had no specific plan for Jaipur. “They have taken things from their previous budgets and put them into this manifesto. The lack of vision has resulted in Jaipur’s basic infrastructure falling behind,” he added.Former Congress councillor and Ward 114 candidate Mohammad Zakariya termed the commitments “fake” and “false”. Former deputy leader of the opposition and Ward 84 candidate Bharat Meghwal said the manifesto reflected a lack of achievements over five years and lacked a clear vision.
