A sewer line project on Delhi’s Begumpur-Barwala Road has remained incomplete for three and a half years, keeping a 100-metre stretch closed and forcing residents to deal with prolonged disruption, renewed excavation and concerns about nearby houses.
The work is being carried out in Begumpur village in outer Delhi, on a road that connects the village with surrounding colonies and provides access to Bhagwan Mahavir Marg, also known as Heliport Road. According to the report, the sewer line was found to have an incorrect level, requiring the road to be dug up again and the line to be relaid.
The delay has also raised questions about coordination between the agencies and contractors involved. The report refers to two separate contractors and points to a lack of coordination and technical shortcomings during the project. Residents say the prolonged construction has increased inconvenience for people travelling between Begumpur, nearby colonies and the main connecting roads.
The continued use of heavy machinery and repeated excavation have led residents to express concern about the safety of buildings close to the worksite. Local residents said cracks could appear in walls and that foundations could be weakened by the ongoing construction. They have sought clarity on who would be responsible if any house were damaged during the work.
Residents Subhash, Captain, Rajesh Yadav, Naveen and Sachin have requested intervention from Delhi government Cabinet Minister and Bawana MLA Ravindra Indraj Singh. They have also called for a high-level technical investigation into the project, an assessment of the safety of nearby houses and completion of the sewer work within a fixed timeline.
The residents have questioned why the quality and technical parameters of the sewer installation were not checked earlier if the project had already been under way for three and a half years. They also said the need for re-excavation had increased public inconvenience, project costs and the time taken to restore the road.
A project department official of the Delhi Jal Board said the sewer work would be completed soon. About 30 metres of work remains, according to the official, and efforts are under way to finish the remaining section at the earliest. The road’s reopening will depend on completion of the pending work and restoration of the excavated stretch.
