New Delhi: As pre-monsoon showers hit the capital, the city’s preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season remains in question. Despite ongoing efforts, government agencies are still grappling with the task of desilting major drains, a crucial measure to prevent waterlogging and flooding.
The Delhi government’s irrigation and flood control department, along with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), require an additional week to complete their tasks. Meanwhile, the Public Works Department (PWD), which has achieved 85% of its desilting target, may need a few more days to finish clearing drains of silt.
The PWD oversees 1,037 stormwater drains along its 1,400 km road network. Despite initiating desilting work early this year, the agency faces delays. A PWD official commented, “We are striving to complete the desilting work by next week in most areas. However, slight delays in some zones are unavoidable.”
Desilting progress in the 22 major drains that flow into the Yamuna River varies, with some locations seeing only 50% completion and others up to 70%. The Delhi High Court has previously voiced concerns about the city’s monsoon readiness, directing the Chief Secretary to establish a single agency to manage these major drains.
Residents remain sceptical about the authorities’ claims of having met 85% of the desilting target. They report seeing little evidence of silt removal compared to previous years, raising fears of a repeat of last year’s flooding. A Vikaspuri resident remarked, “The authorities’ claims of having cleaned the drains are farcical. We had to escalate issues to local officials to get action, and some drains remain unclogged.”
The Kamla Nagar Traders Association shares similar concerns. A member recounted, “Last year, flooding caused severe damage. We fear the same will happen this year due to uncleared drains.”
The MCD has already missed its June 15 deadline for desilting major drains. As of June 20, the MCD reported desilting 250 out of 713 drains deeper than 4 feet, with work still underway at 434 locations. According to an MCD report, 73,404 tonnes of silt have been removed, representing 94% of the targeted 78,062 tonnes. Opposition leader Raja Iqbal Singh stated, “So far, 94% of the work is done. It will take another week to ten days to meet the Phase I target.”
NDMC, which aimed to remove 2,000 cubic metres of silt, has cleared 1,400 cubic metres so far. NDMC Vice-Chairman Satish Upadhyay noted, “Desilting is in progress, and we have arranged fixed and temporary pumps to prevent waterlogging.”
The I&FC department manages major drains, including the Najafgarh drain. A government official claimed, “Approximately 15 lakh tonnes of silt have accumulated, with over 10 lakh tonnes removed so far.”
The DDA, responsible for 382 km of drains in Dwarka, Rohini, and Narela, reported lifting 5,926 tonnes of silt and installing pumps at vulnerable locations.
As the monsoon season approaches, the city’s struggle with desilting and waterlogging issues underscores the need for coordinated and efficient efforts to mitigate the impact on residents and infrastructure.
