India News | Delhi Authorities Race Against Time to Complete Desilting as Monsoon Nears
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. With the monsoon approaching, authorities are racing against time to complete desilting of drains in a bid to prevent the recurring issue of waterlogging in the national capital.
New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) With the monsoon approaching, authorities are racing against time to complete desilting of drains in a bid to prevent the recurring issue of waterlogging in the national capital.
The Public Works Department (PWD), which manages over 50 per cent of Delhi's drainage network, has reported completion of approximately 70 per cent of desilting work across 2,064 kilometres of drains.
Also Read | Bezos Wedding in Venice Draws Greenpeace Protest.
In a shift in strategy, the new BJP-led government has introduced two-year contracts under 35 desilting packages, aimed at ensuring sustained maintenance and cleaning of the drains throughout the year.
"Previously, short-term contracts pertained to one-time cleaning. If it rained again in September, drains would choke again. With two-year contracts, drains will be cleaned regularly and monitored consistently," a senior PWD official told PTI.
Contractors have also been tasked with maintaining pumps at critical locations and underpasses to ensure better coordination during peak rainfall.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which manages about 520 kilometres of drains, stated that its desilting work has already surpassed last year's target by 40 per cent. Officials confirmed that special attention is being paid to vulnerable and flood-prone areas, with regular inspections underway.
PWD has listed 194 critical locations on its watchlist this year — 126 under its jurisdiction and 68 overseen by other agencies like the National Highways Authority of India, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Metro, New Delhi Municipal Council, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has also completed the first phase of desilting in 335 kilometres of drainage network. "The deadline for the second phase is June 30. We are also constructing three underground sumps at Golf Links, Purana Quila Road and Bharti Nagar, and building 95 new rainwater harvesting pits," said an NDMC official.
The Irrigation and Flood Control Department, which handles the city's major drains, has completed nearly 90 per cent of its desilting work and repaired the control gates of the ITO barrage to better manage stormwater flow.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed all departments to work in close coordination to ensure swift and effective solutions to waterlogging issues, emphasising that Delhi must avoid the annual monsoon disruptions this year.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)