Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Thursday conducted inspection of the major drains flowing into the Yamuna and and announced a riverfront project along the Sahibi river, popularly known as Najafgarh drain. The team inspected 50 acres of land belonging to the irrigation and flood control department and announced that the government has now decided to transform this land into a beautiful and grand public park. “This land holds immense potential for the community and has long been left in a deplorable condition. We are now committed to converting it into a lush, accessible green space,” she said. The plan also includes a proposed riverfront development along the Sahibi River, which passes through the area.
Delhi CM, Saxena and Verma also inspected the ongoing desilting work at supplementary drain in Wazirabad, Barapullah drain, Sunheri Pul drain, Kushak drain and Najafgarh drain. They said that desilting of all 22 major drains flowing into the Yamuna River is progressing expeditiously. The primary objective of this inspection was to evaluate the current status of Delhi’s major drains, identify the causes of waterlogging and ensure cleaning and repair work of the drains prior to the monsoon season.
“We are constantly monitoring the Yamuna cleaning process. Work to clean the 22 drains is being desilted using advanced machinery so that the treated water from these drains when entering the river is as per prescribed standards. Regular inspections of these drains are now being conducted every 15 days to ensure timely progress and quality control,” she told reporters. These drains discharge waste directly into the Yamuna River and have been neglected for decades.
The Chief Minister said the Government’s objective is to ensure that water flows naturally through the drains, free from obstructions, and when it enters the Yamuna, it should be free from pollution, thereby facilitating the restoration of the Yamuna to its pristine state
During the inspection, senior officials of all concerned departments including Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, New Delhi Municipal Council, Transport Department, Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department were present. Delhi CM hit out at the previous AAP government saying that it did not pay attention to the untreated wastewater flowing into the Yamuna through the drain. “Drain cleaning is not just a pre-monsoon formality. It is about safeguarding public health and urban infrastructure,” she asserted.
Along with cleaning of the drains, Yamuna riverfront project is also under process, said the chief minister during her inspection visit.
Following the inspection, the Lieutenant Governor stated that the problem of waterlogging in Delhi is not confined to the monsoons; it is a critical issue affecting the fundamental infrastructure and quality of life in the city.
“Today’s joint inspection of the capital’s drains in collaboration with various departments is not merely to identify problems, but also to ensure time-bound, coordinated and permanent solutions. Officers of all concerned departments have been ordered to work with mutual cooperation and transparency for the repair and cleaning of drains, to provide Delhi residents with a clean, safe and water-logging free environment,” he said.
