The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 25.60 crore to tackle recurring waterlogging on Mandi Road and Bandh Road in South Delhi’s Chhatarpur, with a new drainage network, two pump houses and the rebuilding of a 4-km stretch of Mandi Road planned for the area.
The project is expected to benefit residents of Sultanpur, Gadaipur and Jaunapur villages, where flooding during the monsoon has disrupted daily commutes, affected businesses and damaged roads for several years, officials said. The plan includes precast drains on both sides of Mandi Road and one side of Bandh Road to move stormwater away from the road corridors.
Under the project, 710 metres of precast drain will be built on each side of Mandi Road, covering 1,420 metres in total. Bandh Road will receive a 1,920-metre precast drain along one side. Two pump houses will also be constructed to enable faster removal of accumulated stormwater, according to officials cited by The Indian Express.
The government has separately planned to rebuild a 4-km section of Mandi Road with a bituminous surface. Financial bids for the roadwork have been opened, and officials said the contract is expected to be awarded shortly under the Public Works Department’s South Zone combined tender.
The decision follows a site inspection by PWD and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh in July, when heavy rainfall had left the roads severely waterlogged. During the inspection, residents told the minister that flooding affected movement through the area, disrupted local businesses and damaged the roads each monsoon. Singh said the residents of Sultanpur, Gadaipur, Jaunapur and nearby areas had waited long enough for the problem to be addressed.
The two roads were earlier under the supervision of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Their responsibility has now been transferred to the PWD under the Delhi government’s “One Government, One Governance” approach. Officials said the change is intended to streamline decision-making and integrate road construction with drainage works.
Officials attributed the recurring flooding to the area’s low-lying terrain and the closure of a natural drainage channel that previously carried rainwater into Haryana. Rapid urbanisation obstructed the outlet, leaving the locality vulnerable to water accumulation, they said. Temporary pumping arrangements have provided only short-term relief so far.
The next formal milestone is the award of the roadwork contract, while the sanctioned drainage and pumping works are intended to provide a permanent system for removing stormwater from the two key road corridors.
